Patent Grant
12070014
Animal harnesses are used to control an animal on a lead (or leash) without putting top much pressure on the animal's neck, as may happen with the typical animal collar. A harness typically wraps around the animal at the chest and ribcage. Tightness is determined when the harness is placed on the animal and cannot typically be readjusted until performed manually. Thus, while a harness is in many instances more comfortable for the animal, it does not permit the person to control the animal without excessive pulling on the lead. What is needed are harness that permit control of the animal without excessive pulling on the lead thereby, for example, permitting more effective training of the animal.
The present invention solves these problems with the prior art with a harness design that allows fora gentle tightening (cinching) of the harness around the animals's ribcage when the animal's lead is pulled by a person or the animal. This gentle tightening can be effectively used to train the animal, for example, not to pull or to obey other commands such as sit or stay. It is also effective in deterring the animal from escaping. Thus, the present invention is to an animal harness that reversibly tightens and relaxes when the lead is pulled and relaxed.
The harness of the present invention (the “tightening harness” or “cinching harness”) achieves this goal by having a strap that is designed to bring both sides (the left side and the right side) of the harness together when the lead is pulled by a person or the animal pulls on the lead. The lead is attached to a strap (the “center strap”) which, in turn is attached to a left side strap and right side strap (collectively referred to as the “two side straps”). The left side strap and right side straps are connected to the harness. When the center strap is pulled by the lead, the left side strap and right side strap are brought closer together causing the harness to gently constrict the animal.
In some aspects, the center strap is attached to the left side strap and the right side strap as well as a forward left side strap and a forward right side strap (collectively referred to as the “four side straps”). Thus, the center strap is attached to four straps, two on the left and two on the right, causing a broader area of constriction on the animal. In one aspect, the harness utilizing four side straps may be used for a larger animal (for example, a large dog) thereby allowing for greater control of the animal.
In one aspect the animal may be any animal or any sized animal. For example, the animal may be a dog, cat, ferret, skunk, etc. The present invention is not limited by the breed or species of animal. Also, the present invention is not limited by the size of the animal or the size of the harness. One of ordinary skill in the art, with the teaching of this specification, will be able to make a tightening harness of any appropriate size for any size animal.
In this regard, even though multiple sizes are contemplated for the tightening harness of the present invention, each harness, regardless of size, is adjustable over a finite range at the chest and ribcage of the animal. It is contemplated that the harness of the present invention is placed on the animal's back and, in one embodiment, secured under the animal's ribcage and at the animal's chest (i.e., behind and in front of the animal's forelegs). In other words, the left side and the right side of the harness of the present invention meet under the animal's ribcage and in front of the animal's chest. The mechanism of securing the harness may be selected from any means known to one of ordinary skill in the art and is not limited thereby. For example, the harness may be secured with hook and loop fastener, snaps, buckles, hooks, laces, etc. The portion of the harness that is located at the animal's chest may be secured with a chest strap. The chest strap may be secured with, for example, any of the above mentions devices.
The center strap of the tightening harness of the present invention is slidably attached to the two or four side strap(s) of the present invention. For example, it is contemplated that the center strap is slidably attached to each of the two or four straps by a ring which may be any suitable shape, for example, it may be round, D-shared (e.g., a D-ring) or, preferably, a rectangular-shaped ring (i.e., a rectangular ring). This attachment may be also referred to herein as a skiable coupler. The rectangular ring may have square corners or ends or rounded corners or ends. The rings may be made of plastic or, preferably, metal.
The lead may be attached to a ring on the center strap. The ring may be a round ring or a D-ring or any other suitable shape. The ring may be made of plastic of, preferably, metal. The ring that attaches the lead to the center strap may be slidably attached but need not be so.
In one aspect, the harness may be made of, at least partially, of a stretchable or elasticized fabric material. Incorporation of the material into the fabric material of the harness of the present invention provides a gentle compression. It's believed by the present inventors that applying a gentle compression to an animal's torso helps to calm the animal.
Thus, the present invention contemplates an animal harness that tightens when the animal pulls, the harness comprising: providing: i) a fabric harness having openings for the animal's left and right forelegs, ii) a left side strap having an outboard end and an inboard end, iii) a right side strap having an outboard end and an inboard end and, iv) a first center strap having an attachment point for a leash or lead; wherein, the outboard end of the left side strap is attached to the harness near the opening for the left foreleg and outboard end of the right side strap is attached to the harness near the opening the right foreleg; wherein, the inboard end of the left side strap is coupled to the center strap with a first slidable coupler and the inboard end of the right side strap is coupled to the center strap with a second slidable coupler, the first and second slidable couplers allowing the center strap to freely slide therein; wherein, the center strap forms a loop and the attachment point for a leash or lead is positioned between the first slidable coupler and the second slidable coupler wherein, when the animal pulls, the center strap causes the inboard end of the left side strap and inboard end of the right side strap toward each other thereby causing the harness to tighten around the animal.
The present invention also contemplates that the harness of the present invention further comprises a left side and a right side that, when positioned on an animal's back, the left side and the right side are re-connectable at the animal's chest and at the animal's ribcage thereby leaving a left opening and a right opening for the animal's left and right forelegs to extend through.
The present invention also contemplates that the harness of the present invention further comprises a forward left side strap and a forward right side strap, wherein the center strap connects to the forward left side strap, the left side strap, the forward right side strap and the right side strap to form an X pattern with the center strap crossing over itself approximately centered between the forward left side strap, the left side strap, the forward right side strap and the right side strap and wherein the attachment point for the leash or lead is located where the center strap crosses over itself.
Alternatively, the present invention further comprises a forward left side strap and a forward right side strap, and a second center strap; wherein each center strap connects to one forward side strap and to the side strap at the opposite corner to the said forward side strap, and wherein each center strap crosses the other center strap form an X pattern approximately centered between the left side strap, the right side strap, the left forward side strap and the right forward side strap; and wherein the attachment point for the lead is located where the center straps cross each other.
The present invention also contemplates that the fabric of the harness of the present invention comprises a mesh fabric.
The present invention also contemplates that the attachment point for a leash or lead of the harness of the present invention is a D-ring.
The present invention also contemplates that the slidable couplers are rings or rectangular rings.
The present invention also contemplates that the harness is re-connectable at the animal's chest and ribcage with one of more of hook and loop fastener, buckles, hooks or snaps.
The present invention also contemplates a length adjustable, re-connectable chest strap, wherein the re-connectivity of the harness at the animal's chest is provided by the chest strap.
The present invention also contemplates that the harness will tighten on an animal when the leash or lead is pulled or when the animal pulls.
The present invention contemplates a method of retaining an animal on a lead, the method comprising: placing and securing the harness of the present'invention on the animal to be retained and attaching a lead to the ring on the harness; wherein, when the animal pulls on the leash or lead or the leash or lead is pulled the harness tightens on the animal.
In another aspect, it is contemplated that the animal harness of the present invention causes compression on an animal's torso. This harnesses of the present invention does not have the tightening feature of the other harness of the present invention. Said compression harness comprising: providing: i) a fabric harness having openings for the animal's left and right forelegs, ii) a left side strap having an outboard end and an inboard end, iii) a right side strap having an outboard end and an inboard end and, iv) an attachment point for a leash or lead; wherein, the outboard end of the left side strap is attached to the harness near the opening for the left foreleg and outboard end of the right side strap is attached to the harness near the opening the right foreleg; wherein, the inboard end of the left side strap and the inboard end of the right side strap are coupled to the attachment point for the leash; and, wherein at least 10% of the fabric of the fabric harness comprises resiliently stretchable fabric.
In another aspect, it is contemplated that the left and right side straps are made of or comprise a stretchable material or an elastic material. In some aspects of the present invention, only the left and right side straps comprise a stretchable or an elastic material, the remaining fabric material of the harness being made of non-stretchable or non-elastic material.
The present invention further contemplates that fabric of the compressing harness of the present invention comprises at least 20%, 30% or 50% resiliently stretchable fabric.
The present invention further contemplates that resiliently stretchable fabric of the compressing harness of the present invention is under-laid or over-laid on the fabric of the animal harness.
The present invention further contemplates that resiliently stretchable fabric of the compressing harness of the present invention comprises a mesh fabric.
The present invention further contemplates that the attachment point for a leash or lead for the compressing harness of the present invention is a D-ring.
The present invention further contemplates that the attachment point for a leash or lead for the compressing harness of the present invention is re-connectable at the animal's chest and ribcage with one of more of hook and loop fastener, buckles, hooks or snaps.
The present invention further contemplates that the attachment point for a leash or lead for the compressing harness of the present invention further comprises a length adjustable, re-connectable chest strap, wherein the re-connectivity of the harness at the animal's chest is provided by the chest strap.
The harness of the present invention is not limited by the fabric material also referred to herein as fabric material and fabric interchangeably) it is made from. One of skill in the art is familiar with materials suitable for use in harnesses. However, we list several preferred materials for use in the harness of the present invention here. The harness of the present invention, can be made from woven and non-woven materials. Woven materials may be synthetic fibers such as, but not limited to, nylon and polyester, etc., or natural fibers such, as but not limited to, cotton, wool, etc. Non-woven materials may be, but are not limited to, for example, leather or materials made from synthetic and natural fibers. The harness of the present invention may also be made of any combination of the above materials. The harness may be made from a synthetic mesh material,
Further, the fabric of the tightening harness of the present'invention may be stretchable or may comprise elasticized material(s) giving it stretchable or elasticized qualities. in one aspect, all of the fabric (100%), 90%, 80%, 70%, 60%, 50%, 40%, 30%, 20% or 10% of the fabric may have elastic or stretchable qualities. One of skill in the art knows and understands how to make stretchable fabric or fabric comprising elasticized material(s). All of the fabric materials listed in the paragraph, above, may be made stretchable or have elastic qualities. In some aspects of the present invention, panels of stretchable or elasticized material can be overlaid or under-laid on the non-stretchable fabric of the harness. Any and/or all portions of the fabric material of the harness may be made of, overlaid or under-laid with a stretchable or elastic fabric.
In another aspect of the invention, the harness may be made with stretchable or elastic material but without the tightening feature. In this way the harness provides comport and reassurance to the animal without providing tightening.
in the context of the present invention, “stretchable” means resiliently or reversibly stretchable so that the fabric material returns to its original dimensions when any force causing the material to stretching has ended. The stretchable or elasticized material of the present invention may be stretchable in one direction, in two directions or in all directions (or any number of directions in between). The stretchable fabric of the present invention can stretch at least 20%, 40%, 60%, 80%, 100% or more of its un-stretched dimension.
The harness of the present invention is not limited by size. One of skill in the art will be able to make a harness of the present invention of the appropriate size for an animal such as, for example, a dog, cat ferret or skunk. Furthermore, the harness of the present invention is adjustable at the chest and ribcage of the animal via hook and loop fastener, buckles, snaps, buttons, etc.
The buckles and rings may be made of, for example, plastic or metal. The buckle may be, for example, a quick release and/or side release buckle or other suitable buckling mechanism known to one of skill in the art. The rings may be O-rings, D-rings or rectangular rings or other rings known to one of skill in the art. In one embodiment, the attachment device for the lead is a D-ring and the rings where the center strap attaches to the side straps are rectangular rings.
For clarity, numbering has not been repeated in each figure the same element.
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7004113 | Zutis | Feb 2006 | B1 |
| 20190082657 | Sebö | Mar 2019 | A1 |
| 20190110438 | Yun | Apr 2019 | A1 |
| 20200245592 | Wagner | Aug 2020 | A1 |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 16945957 | Aug 2020 | US |
| Child | 16994563 | US |
