DE202025000906U1 - Safety device for two animal leashes - Google Patents

Abstract

Securing device for two animal leashes (1) for reliably securing two pet leashes to the body of the owner while ensuring maximum protection of his health, characterized in that two double-layered straps (14 and 15) are firmly connected by a swivel (2) and define an upper area (3) and a lower area (4).

Description

The invention relates to a safety device for two animal leashes.

Currently, there are no commercially available leash securing devices for two animals or other devices for securing two pet leashes to the owner's body ¹ that prevent the animals from accidentally escaping and at the same time provide the owner with maximum health safety.

The only way to attach a dog to the owner's body by hanging it around their neck is with a so-called shoulder leash. These are relatively short and are attached directly to the animal (collar or harness) with a carabiner at the end. Special waist belts are available for joggers and cyclists, allowing them to be carried hands-free during exercise. Some come with an integrated leash for attaching directly to the animal, or one or more external leashes can be attached. When using both shoulder leashes and waist belts, the two leashes tend to twist together when two leashes are used, which shortens the leashes and makes it difficult or even impossible for the owner to have direct contact with either dog.

There are so-called coupling leashes specifically for leading two animals at the same time. These leashes are available as connectors for attaching to an existing leash, or as a single unit. They are generally relatively short and allow the animals little freedom of movement. Furthermore, they have a negative impact on the individual dog, as not only the owner
¹ For better readability, this document avoids the use of gender-specific language. For the sake of equal treatment, male pronouns apply to all genders. They are not only the first person to pull on him, but also the second dog. They are therefore not suitable for permanent/regular use.

Locations

Dog friend running leash - Extra light stretchy dog leash for medium and large dogs
https://hundefreund.com/collections/ioggingleine/products/hundefreundlaufleine-besonders-leichte-dehnbare-hundeleine-fur-mittele-und-grosse-hunde

Niggeloh shoulder leash GRIP wide https://www.sporthund.de/niggeloh-umhaengeleine-grip-breit

RSG sports/equipment belt https://kurgo.com.de/products/rsg-sport-ausrustungsgurtel

Coupler/connecting leash for 2 dogs (short) https://pawsome-shop.at/products/leather-connector-for-2-dogs-on-one-leash

Coupler/connecting leash for 2 dogs (long) https://www.moxonundco.de/Koppel.html

1. 1. Führleinen sind die klassischen Hundeleinen, in der Regel ein bis drei Meter lang, in der Regel mit einer Handschlaufe versehen und oftmals mit diversen Möglichkeiten zur Verkürzung oder Verlängerung. Der Hund geht dabei mit wenig Bewegungsfreiheit direkt neben dem Halter und kann durch diesen relativ gut kontrolliert werden. Trotzdem besteht bei einem unvorhergesehenen Ruck des Hundes an der Leine die Gefahr, die Leine aus der Hand zu verlieren. Es ist zwar möglich die Handschlaufe um das Handgelenk des Halters zu wickeln, was bei einem großen Ruck aber schmerzhaft sein kann und keine absolut sichere Lösung darstellt - ein Restrisiko bleibt. Führt man zwei Hunde, hat man entweder beide Leinen in einer Hand - was regelmäßig dazu führt, dass sie sich ineinander verdrehen (durch die unterschiedliche Bewegung der beiden Hunde) - oder je eine Leine in jeder Hand, dann hat man keine Hand mehr frei für Sonstiges. Eine Sicherung am Körper des Halters ist hier nicht vorgesehen.
2. 2. Schleppleinen sind in der Regel 5 bis 20 Meter lang (oder länger), um dem angeleinten Hund eine größere Reichweite zu gewähren. Die Möglichkeit des Verlustes besteht wie bei der o. g. Führleine. Da der Hund hier durch die lange Leine mit viel Anlauf in der Lage ist einen sehr großen Ruck auszulösen, ist die Gefahr des Verlustes weitaus höher. Der exorbitant heftige Ruck kann vom Halter kaum gehalten werden, die Leine fällt folglich aus der Hand und der Hund entkommt. Es wäre auch hier möglich die Handschlaufe um das Handgelenk des Halters zu wickeln, was bei einem großen Ruck aber äußerst schmerzhaft und unter Umständen gesundheitsschädlich wäre, nicht nur für das Handgelenk sondern auch für die Schulter. Die Folgen könnten Zerrungen, Quetschungen und Brüche sein. Schlimmstenfalls könnte das bei einem Sturz mit Aufschlagen des Kopfes auf hartem Grund sogar einen Todesfall verursachen. Führt man zwei Hunde, erhöht sich diese Gefahr entsprechend. Zudem verdrehen sich auch diese Leinen ineinander durch das Hin- und Herlaufen der beiden Hunde. Außerdem erforderte es höchste Konzentration für den Halter, um nicht beim Gehen auf eine der beiden, auf dem Boden schleppenden Leinen zu treten. Ein entspanntes Spazierengehen ist so nahezu unmöglich. Eine Sicherung am Körper des Halters ist hier nicht vorgesehen.
3. 3. Bei handelsüblichen Rollleinen (sie zeichnen sich dadurch aus, dass eine Spiralfeder in einem aus Kunststoff gefertigten Griffgehäuse den Gurt oder das Seil, mit einer Länge zwischen drei und zehn Metern, automatisch auf- und abwickelt) ist die Gefahr des Verlustes am größten. Zum einen kann das Tier, wie bei der Schleppleine, mit Anlauf einen sehr hohen Ruck erzeugen, zum anderen liegt der Griff der Rollleine schlecht in der Hand und kann zudem nicht um das Handgelenk gewickelt werden. Fällt die Rollleine aus der Hand, kommt erschwerend hinzu, dass sie krachend auf den Boden schlägt und nun von dem fliehenden Hund geräuschvoll hinterher geschleift wird. Im Gegensatz zu einer fallen gelassenen Führ- oder Schleppleine gestaltet sich das Einfangen des Tieres hier erheblich komplizierter, weil das Tier durch das Getöse des nachschleifenden Kunststoffgehäuses immer weitergetrieben wird und in seiner Panik auf Zurufe nicht reagiert. Insbesondere dann, wenn es sich um ein ängstliches Tier handelt, wie z. B. einem Hund aus dem Tierschutz. Führt man zwei Hunde an Rollleinen, erhöht sich die Gefahr des Verlustes weiter. Zudem muss man zwangsweise in jeder Hand eine Rollleine tragen, weil dies einhändig kaum möglich ist - die zweite Hand entfällt somit immer für sonstige Tätigkeiten. Eine Sicherung am Körper des Halters ist hier nicht vorgesehen.

Pet owners, especially dog owners, lead their animals on various leashes—when transporting them to another location or for walks. The leashes are mostly held in the hand. These include short or long lead leashes, tracking leashes, or retractable leashes, made of various materials (e.g., leather, Biothane, cotton, metal, plastic) and in various designs:

1. 1. Leads are the classic dog leashes, usually one to three meters long, usually equipped with a hand loop and often with various options for shortening or lengthening. The dog walks directly next to the owner with little freedom of movement and can be relatively well controlled by the owner. Nevertheless, if the dog unexpectedly jerks on the leash, there is a risk of losing the leash from the owner's hand. While it is possible to wrap the hand loop around the owner's wrist, this can be painful if the jerk is strong and is not a completely safe solution - a residual risk remains. If you are walking two dogs, you either have both leashes in one hand - which regularly leads to them becoming tangled (due to the different movements of the two dogs) - or one leash in each hand, leaving no hands free for anything else. There is no provision for securing the leash to the owner's body.
2. 2. Tow lines are usually 5 to 20 meters long (or longer) to give the dog a greater reach. The risk of loss is similar to that of the lead mentioned above. Since the dog is capable of producing a very strong jerk due to the long leash, the risk of loss is much higher. The owner can barely contain the excessively violent jerk, causing the leash to fall from their hand and the dog to escape. It would also be possible to wrap the loop around the owner's wrist, but such a strong jerk would be extremely painful and potentially harmful, not only for the wrist but also for the shoulder. The consequences could be strains, bruises, and fractures. In the worst case, this could A fall with a head hitting hard ground can even be fatal. When walking two dogs, this risk increases accordingly. Furthermore, the leashes become tangled up as the two dogs run back and forth. Furthermore, it requires the owner's utmost concentration to avoid stepping on one of the two leashes dragging along the ground. This makes a relaxed walk virtually impossible. There is no provision for securing the leash to the owner's body.
3. 3. With commercially available retractable leashes (characterized by a spiral spring in a plastic handle housing that automatically winds and unwinds the strap or rope, which can be between three and ten meters long), the risk of loss is greatest. Firstly, the animal can generate a very strong jerk when running, as with a retractable leash, and secondly, the handle of the retractable leash is difficult to hold and cannot be wrapped around the wrist. If the retractable leash falls from your hand, it crashes to the ground and is then dragged noisily behind you by the fleeing dog. In contrast to a dropped lead or retractable leash, catching the animal is considerably more complicated because the animal is continually driven by the noise of the dragging plastic housing and, in its panic, does not respond to calls. This is especially true if the animal is anxious, such as a rescued dog. Walking two dogs on retractable leashes further increases the risk of loss. Furthermore, you have to carry a retractable leash in each hand, as this is almost impossible with one hand—leaving your other hand unavailable for other activities. There's no provision for securing the dog to the owner's body.

To secure the dog to the owner's body, there are so-called shoulder leashes. These offer good protection against losing the dog, but because they are too short, they do not allow the dog sufficient freedom for species-appropriate exercise. This is particularly true for dogs that, for various reasons, can never be released from the leash while walking (e.g., dogs with a strong hunting instinct). The problem of leash twists is particularly unpleasant in this case because the leashes are relatively short and thus become even shorter. This makes it difficult, if not impossible, for the owner to directly influence either dog. A relaxed walk is not possible for either the owner or the dogs.

Belly belts, which are specially designed for joggers and cyclists to secure a dog to the owner's body during exercise, are also not a safe alternative for walking dogs. While this prevents the leash from getting lost, experience has shown that in an unfortunate case, even a dog weighing around 5 kg can generate such a great jerk that the owner cannot balance from the middle of the body and subsequently falls. With two dogs, this danger is exponentially increased. The risk of the owner falling in a crisis situation is greatest here. Here, too, the leash becomes tangled, making it difficult or even impossible for the owner to directly influence one of the two dogs.

The problem of inadequate animal security has been exacerbated for years by the increasing number of rescue dogs being adopted, especially from abroad. These animals are very often unsocialized, frightened, or traumatized, and are frequently lost due to the inexperience of their owners and the current, inadequate security measures. The invention particularly benefits these dogs. But the invention also provides owners of dogs on leashes with a greater degree of security, especially on dangerous days such as New Year's Eve, when these dogs, too, are increasingly lost due to fireworks. In 2023, 30,700 dogs were registered as lost with the TASSO Pet Central Register for the Federal Republic of Germany. The number of unreported cases is likely much higher, as many dogs are not registered with TASSO and are not reported if lost.

(Source: https://www.tasso.net/Service/Wissensportal/TASSO-Fakten/2023-im-Ueberblick )

The invention is therefore based on the objective of enabling a reliable tethering of two animals, which, on the one hand, allows the animals a greater range for species-appropriate exercise without having to accept the risk of their loss, and, on the other hand, protects the owner from health damage and prevents accidents. Furthermore, the objective is to enable both humans and animals to enjoy the exercise as much as possible.

These tasks are solved according to the invention by a securing device for two animal leashes. It allows existing external animal leashes (leads, tow lines, or retractable leashes) to be secured to the owner's body to protect them from loss. At the same time, the positioning on the upper body allows the owner to balance even stronger forces. This prevents the external leashes from falling out of the hand, and the animals do not lost, and the owner is protected from painful and potentially serious health damage. The invention was designed specifically for the use of retractable leashes, which, despite their risks, are very popular with dog owners because they allow dogs a great deal of freedom of movement without the owner having to worry about leashes dragging on the ground while walking.

The safety device for two pet leashes is preferably made of webbing (fabric, plastic, or leather) in various colors. It has an ideal width of between two and four centimeters (depending on the pet size) and a total length of approximately 2.4 meters. The total length is visually halved because the strap is doubled in each case.

It is a safety device that is divided into three sections: an upper section and a lower section (in a 5:1 ratio), with a fixed connector between them - visually shaped like a figure eight. The upper, large section is designed to be attached diagonally across the owner's upper body, over the shoulder. The lower, small section is ideally used to hold the external lines. The swivel in between firmly connects the two sections and, according to the invention, prevents the lines from becoming tangled and allows them to be easily corrected. The external lines are thus attached to the owner's body, and their wrist straps or handles can be held by the owner in the hand or worn hanging down at the side. This means that the owner always has one or both hands free for other tasks, without compromising safety.

Advantageously, both the upper and lower sections can be opened and closed using a plastic or metal snap-on buckle. The design of the snap-on buckles, like the width of the strap, is adapted to the dog's size and strength.

The invention offers the option of width adjustment on both snap buckles. The upper section allows the width to be adjusted to suit the stature/figure of each owner, and the other to suit the owner's thin summer clothing and thick winter clothing. This width adjustment is crucial for the safe use of the safety device for two animal leashes, as it must always be adjusted so that it corresponds exactly to the owner's arm length. The width of the snap buckle in the lower section is adjusted to suit the external leashes to be attached. The excess webbing in both sections is ideally fixed to the strap of the respective section using a strap slider. The end of the excess webbing is protected from passing through the strap slider by sewing it over and, if necessary, heat-sealed (e.g. with plastic straps) to prevent it from fraying.

The advantages of this invention lie in the fact that the dog's jerk is initially held by the owner's hand—as with all leashes—but then immediately transmitted via the strap to the owner's upper body. The wrist and shoulder joints are immediately supported and relieved, preventing injury. The upper body, in turn, ideally transmits the jerk to the owner's entire body for balancing and can be well balanced. This prevents a fall.

Ideally, one or more hook-and-loop fasteners, the same width as the belt and between 8 and 20 centimeters long, are sewn onto the upper part of the strap to accommodate other practical accessories for dog owners. These include poop bag dispensers, cell phone pouches, food bags, and the like. Additionally, one or more metal or plastic rings, the same width as the belt, are sewn onto the strap for attaching car or house keys or other items to the strap with a carabiner. This conveniently eliminates the need to carry an additional bag to store these items while walking.

The advantage of the invention lies in the fact that it consists of existing, commercially available materials and parts, which can be easily sourced, assembled, and processed by appropriate manufacturers. Its small size and low weight also make it ideal for online sales.

An embodiment of the invention is explained in more detail with reference to a drawing. This drawing shows a highly schematic representation of a securing device according to the invention for two animal leashes. The securing device for two animal leashes 1 is available in a preferred width of 2 to 4 centimeters and a total strap length of approximately 240 centimeters. The swivel 2 defines two areas in the shape of a figure eight: an upper area 3 (for diagonally securing the upper body) and a lower area 4 (for securing the external leashes).

The securing device for two animal leashes 1 preferably consists of webbing (14 and 15) made of textile, plastic or leather as well as consisting of plastic or metal buckles (5 and 8) and plastic or metal strap sliders (7 and 10). They are available in different colors.

Using the snap fastener 5 in the lower section 4, the two existing external leashes can be attached and secured to the two-leash attachment point. The additional webbing reserve 6, conveniently located at the snap fastener 5 and available for width adjustment, is secured to the strap 15 in the lower section using the strap slider 7.

The buckle 8 secures the upper section 3 diagonally across the shoulders to the wearer's upper body. The additional strap reserve 9, which conveniently begins at the buckle 8 and is available for variable width adjustment, is secured to the strap 14 of the upper section 3 using the strap slider 10.

Several advantageous Velcro surfaces 11 and 12, which allow the attachment of external pockets also provided with Velcro surfaces, are firmly attached to the strap 14 of the upper section 3.

In addition, a useful ring 13 is ideally firmly attached to the strap 14 of the upper area 3 in order to be able to attach additional objects if necessary.

List of reference symbols:

1

Safety device for two animal leashes

2

vortex

3

upper area

4

lower area

5

snap fastener

6

Webbing reserve

7

Belt shifter

8

snap fastener

9

Webbing reserve

10

Belt shifter

11

Velcro surface

12

Velcro surface

13

ring

14

webbing

15

webbing

QUOTES CONTAINED IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of documents submitted by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the convenience of the reader. This list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited non-patent literature

• https://hundefreund.com/collections/ioggingleine/products/hundefreundlaufleine-besonders-leichte-dehnbare-hundeleine-fur-mittele-und-grosse-hunde [0005]
• https://www.sporthund.de/niggeloh-umhaengeleine-grip-breit [0006]
• https://kurgo.com.de/products/rsg-sport-ausrustungsgurtel [0007]
• https://pawsome-shop.at/products/leather-connector-for-2-dogs-on-one-leash [0008]
• https://www.moxonundco.de/Koppel.html [0009]
• https://www.tasso.net/Service/Wissensportal/TASSO-Fakten/2023-im-Ueberblick [0014]

Claims (9)

Securing device for two animal leashes to be hung around the neck (1) for reliably securing two pet leashes to the body of the owner while ensuring maximum protection of his health, characterized in that two double-layered straps (14 and 15) are firmly connected by a swivel (2) and define an upper area (3) and a lower area (4). Safety device for two animal leashes (1) Claim 1 , which allows the inclusion and fixation of two external leashes as well as the upper body of the animal owner through two snap fasteners (5 and 8) in the upper area (3) and lower area (4). Safety device for two animal leashes (1) Claim 1 or 2 , whereby additional strap material (6 and 9), starting at the snap fasteners (5 and 8) and double stitched at the end, allows the width to be adjusted. Securing device for two animal leashes for hanging around the neck (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the additional belt material (6 and 9) is fixed to the belt (14 and 15) of the two areas (3 and 4) by means of belt sliders (7 and 10). Securing device for two animal leashes for hanging around the neck (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein Velcro surfaces (11 and 12) are attached to the strap (14) of the upper region (3). Securing device for two animal leashes for hanging around the neck (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a ring (13) is fixed to the strap (14) of the upper region (3). A securing device for two animal leashes (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the belt sliders (7 and 10) and snap fasteners (5 and 8) are 2.5 to 5 centimeters wide and made of plastic or metal. Securing device for two animal leashes for hanging around the neck (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the straps (14 and 15) are made of textiles, plastic or leather. Safety device for two animal leashes (1) according to one of the Claims 1 until 8 with a total belt length of approx. 2.40 meters and a belt width of 2 to 4 centimeters.

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