CN101518211A

CN101518211A - Ring-shaped retractable pet lead

Info

Publication number: CN101518211A
Application number: CNA2009100079224A
Authority: CN
Inventors: R·J·罗普斯纳克; S·普罗查斯卡
Original assignee: Hartz Mountain Corp
Current assignee: Hartz Mountain Corp
Priority date: 2008-02-29
Filing date: 2009-02-27
Publication date: 2009-09-02

Abstract

The present invention provides a comfortable and easy to use retractable pet leash. A retracting and locking leash assembly provides a hollow ring-shaped leash housing, a spool inside the hollow ring-shaped leash housing extending through out the circumference of the hollow ring-shaped leash housing, a retracting mechanism inside the interior of the hollow ring-shaped leash housing, and a brake trigger, the trigger constructed to adopt at least one braking position and one free position. The leash housing, the line opening and the brake trigger are arranged such that when the leash is in use, the user holds the leashing housing as a handle while being able to control the brake trigger with one finger without bearing extra wrist strain from the weight of the leash or the orientation leash.

Description

Ring-shaped retractable pet lead

The application requires the right of No. the 61/032nd, 766, provisional application, and this provisional application was submitted on February 29th, 2008, fitted in this provisional application herein for your guidance.

[technical field]

The present invention relates generally to handle stay cord or the connection of domestic animal, for example be applicable to stay cord or the connection of pet, as be applicable to stay cord or the connection of dog.

[background technology]

The owner of pet various telescopic connection in order to the control pet when the walking of band pet is being known in the art.For realizing that different purpose pet connections has many kinds to change.Yet existing pet connection is still waiting to improve on the facility of using, so that the pulling force that user's hand bears is littler, and controls pet better.

Generally, device that telescopic connection comprises belt or rope twines or expansion spool, the housing of accommodating spool and strip winding, control connection thereon is flexible and the handle that grips whole assembly for pet owners.Most scalable connection is a characteristic with the telescopic reel system that is contained in housing with from the extended handle of housing on the market.It is 7,131,401 United States Patent (USP) that example of connection assembly scalable and locking is found in the patent No., fits in this patent herein for your guidance.Patent 7,131,401 have disclosed the housing of the connection of accommodating spool and withdrawal and additional handle.When holding the connection assembly in hand, its weight is concentrated the connection towards handle one end.The weight of connection housing causes user's hand and wrist to bear extra pulling force, unless the connection housing points to down.In addition, the gripping mode that handle provided seldom.

Perhaps, connection is around in the ring of hollow and is contained in housing, this housing in centre bit install semicircular opening so that the user hold telescopic device, shown in German patent DE 3912069.Although the weight of connection is positioned at user or close user's a end, rather than connection one end, but some designs still can cause discomfort, even as the structure of finger opening, heavy device and regard to the direction of the connection that also can produce bad moment of torsion when a doggie spurs at user's hand and the direction of fixing hand.In addition, brake device is fully disclosed so that imitated.

Therefore, need provide a kind of improved telescopic pet connection, it can be more comfortable in use, more convenient and be easy to control pet.

[summary of the invention]

In general, according to the present invention, a kind of comfortable and wieldy telescopic pet connection assembly has the ring-type connection housing of hollow to store the connection of withdrawal.Described connection can be belt, rope, ribbon or line, and it is stored in reel assembly.Same connection housing also can be used as handle.By function in conjunction with connection housing and connection handle, the more close user's of center of gravity of connection assembly hand and compare traditional scalable connection and give the pulling force of hand littler with independent handle component.Described handle is arranged on the position away from the connection opening, and connection stretches out or withdraws towards the direction of pet when the user holds handle, and can not increase pulling force or torsion that user's wrist is born.

Brake trigger/button can be arranged at the surface of ring.Trigger control brake device.In one embodiment of the invention, when brake trigger places on-position, the fin-shaped lock that can be loaded with spring is pushed and brings pressure to bear on spool or the rope, and stop rope further (by pet) pull out or (being contracted device) withdrawal.When brake trigger places free state, the fin-shaped lock is removed on rope, but rope freely-movable thus, or leave or around upper winding shaft.

A zone away from rope opening and retracting device of the ring-type connection housing of hollow is made into handle.In use, the user hold ring handle portion and can be by near the stretching out and withdraw of the brake trigger control connection of user finger (comprising thumb), thereby the user can a manual operating connection.In one embodiment of the invention, opening enough big so that its on user's arm, slide and can hold user's ancon.

Therefore, usefulness of the present invention is to provide a kind of telescopic connection assembly, and its counterweight with improvement makes user's wrist and finger indefatigability and easy operating.

Another usefulness of the present invention is to provide a kind of telescopic connection assembly, and it is easy to grip and is suitable for gripping.

In conjunction with the accompanying drawings and following detailed, other purpose of the present invention and characteristics will become obvious.Yet what will be appreciated that is that illustrated design only is purpose of explanation, is not construed as limiting the invention.

[description of drawings]

For understanding the present invention better, please refer to the following explanation relevant with accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is the end view of the connection assembly of one of embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2 is the three-dimensional exploded view of the connection housing of one of embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 3 is the stereogram of the connection assembly of one of embodiment of the invention.

[specific embodiment]

According to one embodiment of present invention, the ring-type connection housing that connection assembly scalable and locking has hollow, be positioned at the ring-type connection housing of hollow and run through the roll of circumference of ring-type connection housing of hollow and the inner one section rope that is connected in the roll of the ring-type connection enclosure interior that is positioned at hollow (or band or other draw material).Described rope has the outer end that extends out from the rope opening that passes the ring-type connection housing of hollow.The outer end of described rope can be connected in the outer fastener of ring-type connection housing that is positioned at hollow, be positioned at the retracting device of the ring-type connection housing of hollow, the retracting device application of force makes rope be withdrawn in the ring-type connection housing of hollow around roll and brake trigger, and trigger adopts at least one application position and a free position.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the parts of telescopic connection assembly can be by known plastic shaping and processing method manufacturing, and its details is conspicuous to those those skilled in the art.The definite shape of parts described here and size or in order to the definite kind of the material of making parts of the present invention are not requisite for the purpose of the present invention.Be illustrated the present invention with reference to specific embodiment.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the non-limitative example of telescopic connection assembly generally shows as telescopic connection system 100 among Fig. 1.Telescopic connection system 100 comprises the ring-type connection housing 110 of hollow, and it has the connection opening 160 of the external peripheral surface that passes connection housing 110.Handle portion 113 along connection housing 110 away from opening 160 one section arc setting.Gear housing 120 is connected the inner periphery of connection housing 110, and near opening 160.Brake switch 130 is arranged on the excircle of connection housing 110 along one section arc of connection housing 110 near handle portion 113.

Connection housing 110 has internal cavities 111 accommodating roll, and when rope 190 is withdrawn in the housing 110, roll is accommodated rope 190.The inner of rope 190 is connected in roll in the inside of the ring-type connection housing 110 of hollow.Outer end 191 extends out from opening 160.The outer end of rope 190 is connected with fastener 150, preferably connects by rotating drag hook.Rope 190 can be made by any material, and has except that shown in Figure 1 and usual consistent profile.Connection of the present invention can be made by any enough pliable and tough and solid material, standing and meet the normal wearing and tearing of scalable connection and tear (for example standing frequently pullling of gear and animal or stinging or grabbing of animal), and be conspicuous to those those of ordinary skill in the art.The preferred material of connection is the nylon ribbon.It has circular cross section or flat band cross section.In one embodiment of the invention, it is the 8-20 foot, 12-18 foot preferably, preferably flat band shape.But its reverberation is to guarantee night safe.Housing 110 can be made by reflective or dark-coloured luminescent material.

Connection housing 110 has enough little diameter for gripping and handling, and the annular opening at center has enough big diameter to accommodate user's finger when the user holds handle portion 113 simultaneously.In one embodiment of the invention, the diameter of connection housing (never rise because of tumbler switch or rope opening or the excircle of the connection housing that sink on a point measurement) in 4 to 6 inches scope, and be preferably in 4.5 to 5.5 inches the scope.Be positioned at the annular opening at connection housing center diameter (never rise because of the gear housing or the inner periphery of the connection housing that sink on a point measurement) 2.5 to 5.0 inches scopes, and be preferably in 4.0 to 3.25 inches the scope.

Gear housing 120 preferably is equipped with wind spring and geared system.This gear should mesh and rotate the corresponding internal gear that a cover is connected with roll.Perhaps, can use friction, roll system.The continuous application of force of wind spring makes gear rotate towards the direction of rope 190 being drawn in connection housing 110.When rope 190 ties up to that animal goes up and tumbler switch 130 when being in the unlocked position, animal can will be restricted with the active force of making every effort to overcome the clothes spring and 190 be pulled out outside the connection housing 110.

Opening 160 can directly pass connection housing 110.Perhaps, opening 160 can be formed by another kind of materials processing, and then inserts the connection housing.Opening can adopt and restrict the corresponding shape of 190 cross section (for example, circular or flat) to guarantee to restrict 190 steadily flexible and to reduce rope unexpected folding or tangle.

Handle portion 113 grips when using connection for the user.Therefore, its design feature is to help to catch and handle the connection system.Handle portion 113 has the superficial makings of increase friction to grip connection or to take curved design to improve and user's the finger and the fitness of hand.In a preferred embodiment of the invention, handle portion 113 is furnished with lid so that comfortable and anti-skidding surface to be provided.Suitable cover materials can comprise natural or synthetic rubber or the material of rubber like, for example solid-state neoprene of 80 hardness.

Opening 160 allows rope 190 withdrawals or stretches out connection housing 110.Opening 160 and handle portion 113 are positioned at relative position and in use Ring put around finger for massage of cavity of human body are need not crooked their wrist with convenient user during around handle portion 113, and opening direction is away from the user.So, when animal pulling rope 190, user's hand can be consistent with the direction of pulling force.In addition, the user can change their grip position forward, when animal not during stay cord grip position substantially on gear housing 120, with position balance housing 110 at the most comfortable.

Tumbler switch 130 is a single press button preferably, has locked.When it is in the unlocked position, rope 190 can be respectively the application of force by retracting device or animal be drawn into or pull out connection housing 110.When tumbler switch 130 is in latched position, lock can touch rope 190 and promote rope 190 near spools, thereby stops rope 190 to stretch out or withdraw.Perhaps, lock can directly be controlled roll.

Fig. 2 is the exploded view of one embodiment of the present of invention connection retracting device 200.Retracting device 200 comprises a pair of connection shell halfbody 211 and 212.The handle portion 213 of device 200 is furnished with the

soft gripping halfbody

271 and 272 of a pair of rubber or rubber like.Gear housing 220 is one-body molded with connection shell halfbody 211 and 212 and establishes one and have the columniform space of being roughly of spring shaft 221.Spur gear 223 has external teeth wheel rim 224 and is assemblied in central opening 222 on the axle 221 in the gear housing 220.Wind spring 225 is installed in the spur gear 223, and wind spring lid 226 is housed in the spur gear 223 with spur gear 223 assemblings and with wind spring 225.When spur gear 223 pivoted and apply the recoil moment of torsion, wind spring 225 elastic deformations made spur gear 223 return to original direction.Whole retracting device 200 is fitted together by six screws 299.

Ribbon guide 261 is packed into and is positioned at opening 216 on the connection housing.The shape that ribbon guide opening 262 on the ribbon guide 261 is designed to and 290 the cross section of restricting matches helps rope 290 not have the withdrawal of the ground of entanglement thus or stretches out.

263 and 264 is located in the connection housing of opening 216 back to help steadily stretching out or withdrawing of rope 290.

Roll 215 is installed on the main annulus of connection housing 211 and 212.The roll or the spool 215 that are used for store cords 290 are erected in the circular passage that is formed by connection shell halfbody 211 and 212.

Sidewall

217a and 217b that spool 215 has a pair of projection restrict 290 to help maintenance when rope 290 is drawn into or pulls out.One end of rope 290 is connected in spool 215.The other end of rope 290 is connected in the hook 250 that links to each other with animal.Internal gear 216 is along the inner periphery setting of spool 215.When spool 215 and spur gear 223 are assembled in connection housing 211 and 212, the internal gear 216 of spool 215 is with outer gear 224 engagements and with the rotation of spur gear 223 and being rotatably connected of spool 215.

The excircle setting of the assembly 200 of two close handle portions 213 of

halfbody

230a and 230b edge of tumbler switch button 230.Each halfbody 230a of button 230 and the guide rail 231 on the 230b cooperate with corresponding groove 215 on the connection housing.When two halfbody 230a of

shift knob

230 and 230b were fixed together, in guide rail 231 insertion grooves 215, shift knob 230 can slide along the connection housing thus.

Tumbler switch button 230 is by the braking of fin-shaped lock 241 control connections.At free position, fin-shaped lock 241 is usually located at and is horizontally disposed with, and the rope on itself and the spool 215 is contactless.Fin-shaped lock 241 and fin-shaped hook 240 are contained on the square bar 243 and by torsion spring 242 and maintain direction.Being assembled between two fin-shaped anchors 216 on connection housing 211 and 212 of fin-shaped hook 240, fin-shaped lock 241, torsion spring 242 and square bar 243 carried out.

Fin-shaped lock knee 237 links to each other with tumbler switch button 230 at first end 238, and cooperates with manufacturing machine in second end 239 and trapezoidal track 217 on the connection housing 212 and to link.Spring 234 keeps tensioning on bar 237.The two ends 238,239 of knee 237 and bar one section is vertical and point to same parallel direction.Trapezoidal track 217 comprises the cam face 218 that is oblique V profile, and it can move second end 239 of fin-shaped lock knee 237 along groove, and tumbler switch button 230 can forward the relevant position to enable or to decontrol brake device.

Be to start brake device, along connection housing pull switch button 230 forward.The bulge 233 of shift knob 230 promotes the top of fin-shaped hook 240 and makes 240 rotations of fin-shaped hook, and the rotation of fin-shaped hook 240 is transferred to drive fin-shaped lock 241 and rotated to vertical direction, and the end of fin-shaped lock 241 is reduced to the inside of spool 215 and is adjacent to rope 290 thus.Slide switch button 230 compresses tumbler switch button spring 232.When shift knob 230 moves to latched position, its promotes fin-shaped lock knee 237 so that second end 239 of fin-shaped lock knee 237 moves up to second end 239 from the end of cam face 218 stops midway around cam face.When the user decontrols shift knob 230, tumbler switch knee 239 keeps operating positions at cam face 218.When whole tumbler switch assembly is in active position, the position of bulge 233 and the upright position that keeps fin-shaped lock 241 from the tension force of torsion spring 242, fin-shaped lock 241 compresses rope 290 to stop stretching out and withdrawing of rope 290 thus.

For decontroling brake device, shift knob 230 is pushed forward and makes tumbler switch knee 239 to move to initial position around cam face 218 along the connection housing, and tumbler switch button spring 232 makes shift knob 230 get back to initial position.Torsion spring 242 makes fin-shaped lock 241 return horizontal level and away from connection 290.

Therefore, retracting device allows the user to pin connection in position or decontrols connection, and allows connection withdrawal ring or the pet that further hitched is pulled out.These two operations all can be finished by a single action that pushes away on same button.

According to the present invention, the spring that uses in tumbler switch braking and retracting device can be made by any material that is suitable for spring, and it is conspicuous to those those skilled in the art.The preferred material of spring is a steel.

Fig. 3 is the stereogram of connection assembly 300 of the present invention.Shift knob 330, gear housing 320 and rope opening 360 all center on connection housing 310 and are provided with, when holding the connection assembly by handle portion 313 with convenient user, user's finger can master cock button 330, and gear housing 320 and rope opening 360 are arranged on the part of connection housing away from handle portion 313, and make the direction of connection 390 be parallel to the unbending orientation arm of user's wrist.

Though used the preferred embodiment explanation, described and pointed out novelty of the present invention, but will be appreciated that, for those those skilled in the art, do not deviate from essence of the present invention various omissions, substitute, the details of pro forma variation and invention can realize.Therefore, the restriction of the shown scope of the present invention's claim of only being added.

It should also be appreciated that described claim is intended to contain all general and concrete characteristics of the present invention, and the statement of all scope of the invention may fall between the general and concrete characteristics because of the problem of language.

Claims

1, a kind of connection assembly that can stretch and lock, it comprises:

The ring-type connection housing of hollow;

Be positioned at the roll of the ring-type connection housing of described hollow, it runs through the circumference of the ring-type connection housing of described hollow;

One section rope, one end are connected in the roll of the ring-type connection enclosure interior of described hollow, and extend from the lip-deep rope opening of the ring-type connection housing that is located at described hollow, and its other end is in the outside of the ring-type connection housing of described hollow;

Retracting device, it is positioned at the ring-type connection housing of described hollow, and the described retracting device application of force makes described rope around the withdraw ring-type connection housing of described hollow of described roll; With

The brake trigger that the user is easy to get at, described trigger have at least one application position and a free position; With

The part away from described rope opening and retracting device of the ring-type connection housing of described hollow is made handle.

2, connection assembly as claimed in claim 1 is characterized in that: described ring-type connection housing has 4 to 6 inches girth.

3, connection assembly as claimed in claim 1 is characterized in that: described ring-type connection housing has 2.5 to 5 inches girth.

4, connection assembly as claimed in claim 1 is characterized in that: described brake trigger is made up of a single switch, and described switch is near user's finger when the user holds described handle.

5, connection assembly as claimed in claim 1 is characterized in that: described brake trigger locks when application position restricts to stop rope to stretch out or to withdraw.

6, connection assembly as claimed in claim 1, it is characterized in that: described circular shell is substantially circle.

7, connection assembly as claimed in claim 1, it is characterized in that: described circular shell is substantially polygon.

8, connection assembly as claimed in claim 1 is characterized in that: the part that described connection housing is made handle is coated with natural or synthetic rubber.

9, connection assembly as claimed in claim 1 is characterized in that: described retracting device comprises wind spring and the gear that is connected with roll with described wind spring.

10, a kind of telescopic rope assembly, it is suitable for using as the pet connection, and it comprises:

Housing, it is substantially annular, and described housing has surfaces externally and internally, and described surfaces externally and internally forms the inner space that is substantially annular;

Be positioned at the spool and the connection that is around in described spool of described housing;

Retracting device, it is positioned at the described inner space that is substantially annular, thereby it cooperates with described spool to apply around power described spool is untied connection from described spool by the rotation of direction, and affacted on the described connection to overcome as enough external force and describedly connection to be untied during around power;

Described housing has grip portions, and described grip portions is enough big so that the user holds described housing by holding described annular section for the user, but it does not have the function that makes the connection withdrawal.

11, assembly as claimed in claim 10, it is characterized in that: it comprises the placed unlocked position that is positioned on the described housing and the stop button of latched position, and the locking device that is connected with described stop button, when described button is shifted latched position onto from unlocked position, buttons force makes described connection stop to untie from described spool.

12, assembly as claimed in claim 10 is characterized in that: described retracting device comprises wind spring and the gear that is connected with spool with described wind spring.

13, assembly as claimed in claim 10 is characterized in that: described retracting device extends out and the position at inner annular opening place from described housing near described connection, so that the user can hold described housing away from the position of described retracting device.