GB2188524A - Animal collar - Google Patents

Abstract

A collar for an animal comprises an elongate body portion 10, ar least one reflective element 12 attached to the body portion, means 13, 14 to fasten the collar around the neck of the animal. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Animal collar This invention relatesto a collarfor an animal, such as a dog or cat for examples, although the collar may beworn byfarm animalsoranyotheranimal.

According to the invention I provide a collarfor an animal comprising an elongate body portion, at least one reflective element (as herein defined) attached to the body portion, means to fasten the collar around the neck of the animal.

By "reflective element" I mean a strip, sheet, or piece offluorescent material such as fluorescent paper orfluorescenttextile material, a reflective sheet orstripsuch as aluminium foil, ora prism, mirror, or the like, not made entirely of metallic material.

The reflective element may reflect light of all colours of the spectrum, or may only reflect selected colours.

Where a plurality of reflective elements are provided, different reflective elements may reflect different colours of the spectrum.

Thusthe collar may provide an attractivesafety feature for an animal wearing the collar, making the animal morevisibleto a motorist as vehicle lights shine on the collar.

Because the, or all ofthe reflective elements are attached to the body portion, a collar in accordance with the invention can be easily and economically made.

The body portion of the collar may have the reflective element attached thereto by stitching, adhesive, riveting, or even a Velcro (Registered Trade Mark) type material. Preferably though, in one embodiment the reflective element may be attached by being entrapped in an internal hollow of the body portion, the reflective element being visiblethrough a transparent or at least translucent part ofthe body portion. Preferably, the entire body portion is made of transparent or at least translucent material for ease of manufacture.

Alternatively, the body portion may be opaque and one or more windows may be provided through which the reflective element may be visible from the internal hollow.

In another embodiment, a plurality of reflective elements comprising mirrors or prisms are attached to the body portion.

The meanstofasten the collar around the animal's neck may comprise a buckle of any known type, or fastening may be achieved using Velcro (Registered Trade Mark) type material.

In each case, the collar is preferably weatherproof so that it may be worn outside by an animal.

The invention will now be described with the aid of the accompanying drawings in which: FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a firstembodi- mentofacollar in accordance with the invention.

FIGURE2 is a similar view ofa collar collaraccording to a second embodiment of the invention.

Referring to Figure 1, a collarforan animal comprises an elongate body portion 1 0which in the present instance, comprises a flattened tube of transparent PVC material which provides an internal hollowil.

Received in the internal hollow 11 is a reflective element comprising a strip offluorescent paper material 12, for example fluorescent yellow paper, although any other colour of fluorescent paper or fluorescent textile material may be received in the hollow 11, or even a sheetorstrip of reflective material such as aluminium foil. Thus the reflective element is protected from the weather.

The collar has at one end a buckle 13 of known type, which co-operates with one of a plurality of apertures 14 provided atthe other end of the body portion 10 to enablethecollarto be fastened around the animal's neck.

In a modification, only part of the body portion 10 is made of a transparent material, but the strip of fluorescent material 12 is visible through thattransparent part. In a still further similar embodiment, the body portion 10 or a part ofthe body position i.e. only translucent, but permits sufficient lightto pass through forthefluorescent strip 12 to be seen. Further alternatively, the body portion 10 may be opaque and have a plurality of windows cut therein through which the strip of fluorescent material 12 can be seen.

Of course, if desired, more than one strip of fluorescent material may be provided in the hollow 11, in discrete pockets for example.

Referring now to Figure 2, an alternative embodiment is shown. The collar comprises an elongate body portion 20 which has a plurality of small reflective elements comprising mirrors 22 provided thereon.

The mirrors are attached by adhesive, but could be riveted or otherwise attached as required. In each case, the reflective elements are attached byweatherproof means.

Each mirror 22 is made of a plastic material or glass, with a silvered backing and thus reflects light which impinges upon it.

The mirrors 22 may be in a prearranged pattern as shown or need not be arranged in a pattern.

Again, the collar has at one end a buckle 23 which engages with one of a plurality of apertures 24 at the other end of the body portion 20.

Instead of mirrors 22, if desired a plurality of prisms may be attached to the body portion 20. In each case, preferably the mirror/prism does not comprise an entirely metallic material, to minimise the weight of the collar.

In an alternative embodiment not shown, instead of providing a body portion 10 with a hollow 11, or mirrors/prisms 22 attached to the body portion 20, if desired, a strip, piece or sheet of fluorescent or reflective material, paper ortextile or even metal, may be stitched, adhered or otherwise secured onto the body portion. For example, the fluorescent material may be attached by a Velcro (Registered Trade Mark) type material.

The collar need not have a buckle such as shown at 13 or 23 in the drawings, but if desired, may be fastened around the neck of an animal byanyother The claims were filed later than the filing date within the period prescribed by Rule 25(1) of the Patents Rules 1982.

means. For example, one end ofthe elongate body portion may be provided with a plurality of hooks, and the other end ofthe body portion with a plurality of loops, the hooks being engageablewith the loops.

Such material is sold underthe Trade Mark VELCRO.

The features disclosed in theforeging decription, in the following claims, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed-fu nction, o r a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, or a class or group of substances or compositions, as appropriate, may, separately or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof.

Claims (14)

1. Acollarforan animal comprising an elongate body portion, at least one reflective element (as herein defined) attached to the body portion, means to fasten the collar around the neck ofthe animal.

2. A collar according to Claim 1 wherein the reflective element reflects light of all colours of the spectrum.

3. A collar according to Claim 1 wherein the reflective element reflects only selected colours.

4. Acollaraccording to Claim 1 wherein a plurality of reflective elements are provided and different reflective elements reflect different colours of the spectrum.

5. Acollaraccordingto anyoneofthe preceding claims wherein the body portion of the collar has the or each reflective element attached thereto by stitch ing, adhesive, riveting, or Velcro (Registered Trade Mark) type material.

6. A collar according to any one of Claims 1 to 4 wherein the reflective element is secured to the body portion by being entrapped in an internal hollow of the body portion, the reflective element being visible through a transparent or at least translucent part ofthe body portion.

7. A collar according to Claim 6 wherein the entire body portion is made of transparent or at least translucent material.

8. A collar according to Claim 6 wherein the body portion is opaque and one or more windows are provided through which the reflective element is visible from the internal hollow.

9. A collar according to any one of Claims 1 to 5 wherein a plurality of reflective elements comprising mirrors or prisms are attachedto the body portion.

10. A collar according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the means to fasten the collar around the animal's neck comprises a buckle.

11. Acollar according to any one of Claims 1 to 9 wherein fastening is achieved using Velcro (Registered Trade Mark) type material.

12. A collar according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the collar is preferably weatherproof.

13. A collarsubstantially as hereinafter described with reference to and as shown in figure I orfigure 2 of the accompanying drawings.

14. Any novel feature or novel combination of features disclosed herewith and/or illustrated in the accompanying drawings.