WO2002063949A2

WO2002063949A2 - Dog collar

Info

Publication number: WO2002063949A2
Application number: PCT/DE2002/000099
Authority: WO
Inventors: Hans Joachim Herbst
Original assignee: Herm. Sprenger Gmbh & Co. Kg
Priority date: 2001-02-09
Filing date: 2002-01-16
Publication date: 2002-08-22
Also published as: WO2002063949A3; DE20102525U1

Abstract

The invention relates to a dog collar comprising a link chain whose length is at least the same as the size of the neck of a dog, said link chain preferably consisting of a plurality of identically constructed chain links and having a ring on both ends, wherein at least one of both rings, namely the ring on the neck side, has an inner diameter whose size is bigger than the biggest cross-sectional dimension of the link chain so that it can slide through the ring on the neck side. The dog collar also has closing means assigned to said ring on the neck side, the closing means interlocking with the individual chain links. The position of the chain links to which the closing means are connected yields relative to the ring on the neck side so that the maximum length of a loop encompassing the neck of a dog is fixed.

Description

Name: dog collar

The invention relates to a dog collar with a link chain, it relates in particular to so-called necklaces with a gag effect. In their initial state, they consist of a link chain which is elongated, the length of which is therefore at least 15 times, preferably at least 30 times greater than a largest cross-sectional dimension. The link chain consists of a number of identical link chains. Long-link dog collars with typically 10 to 20 welded, flat oval rings are known, furthermore so-called curb chains, knot chains and parrot chains. Other designs of the chains are possible.

The link chain has a ring at both ends, which is firmly connected to it. The link chain and the two rings form a captive, coherent unit. Usually, the two rings at the ends of the link chain are identical. According to the prior art, both rings have a clear diameter that is significantly larger than the largest cross-sectional dimension of the link chain. This allows the link chain to slide freely through both rings.

In practical use, a chain link is inserted through one of the two rings so that a loop is formed. This loop can be placed around a dog's neck. When pulling on the other ring, the loop is reduced. A leash or the like is attached to the other ring, on which a person can guide the dog. The overall link chain with its two end rings is typically between 35 and 76 cm long. The total length is adjusted to the dog's neck circumference certainly. It is determined in such a way that the piece of chain outside the loop to which the dog leash is attached remains relatively short.

The problem with dog collars with a strangle effect of the type described at the beginning is that with increasing pull on a leash-side ring, the loop becomes narrower, in other words, the strangle effect becomes stronger the more you pull the dog leash.

Now as a dog handler wants to use a dog collar of the type mentioned at the beginning with a gag effect, but does not want to do this all the time. As long as the choking effect is possible, the dog handler must also pay very close attention to how tightly he holds the dog leash. This is where the invention begins. It has set itself the task of further developing the dog collar of the type mentioned at the outset while maintaining its advantages in such a way that the choking effect can be limited.

This object is achieved by a dog collar with a link chain that has at least the length of the neck circumference of a dog, which is composed of a plurality of preferably identical chain links, each having a ring at both ends, with at least one of these two rings, namely a neck-side ring, has a clear diameter which is larger than the largest cross-sectional dimension of the link chain, so that it can slide freely through the neck-side ring, and with a locking means assigned to this neck-side ring, which can be positively connected to the individual chain links and which Position of the chain link with which the locking means is connected, relative to the neck ring, so that the maximum length of a loop encompassing the neck of a dog is fixed. With this dog collar, the free passage of the link chain is limited by the neck ring. The size of the loop, but in particular the minimum circumference of this loop, is specified. A strong tightening no longer leads to an excessive shrinking of the loop and to a possible danger for the dog. The loop can rather be specified so that it still exerts a small gagging effect, but this is problem-free for the dog. It can of course also be set so that there is no choking effect.

In this way, the dog collar of the type mentioned can be used even more extensively than has been the case up to now. Essentially the same dog collars can be used as are already known, but these are additionally equipped with the locking means. The closing means is preferably connected to the neck-side ring, in particular articulated to it, or part of this neck-side ring. In the first case, it is a hook or a similar locking device that can engage in a chain link. In the second case, the neck-side ring has a bulge that forms an inner catch bay. The chain can be pushed into this inner catch bay. While the chain can run freely in the actual ring area, it is held in the catch bay. By moving back and forth between these two areas, i.e. the actual ring area and catch bay, you can switch back and forth between loosening and holding.

In another embodiment, the locking means is assigned to the link chain itself and connected to a chain link. The locking means is designed so that it prevents the passage of the chain link of the link chain connected to it through the neck ring. In order to make this possible, the closing means is provided within the loop. It can for example, a shackle that engages a chain link.

It has turned out to be particularly preferred to provide a blocking means in a catch bay which prevents a chain link from passing through the catch bay into the actual ring area. In this way, an automatic unwanted loosening of a caught chain link from the catch bay is hindered. This locking means can be, for example, an elastic projection, a rubber piece, but there is also the possibility of designing the locking means as a pawl, as a spring tongue and the like.

Further advantages and features of the invention emerge from the remaining claims and the following description of non-limiting exemplary embodiments, which are explained in more detail below with reference to the drawing. In this drawing:

FIG. 1: a plan view of a dog collar in a first embodiment of the invention,

FIG. 2: a top view like FIG. 1 of a neck-side ring of a necklace with a partially drawn first chain link and with a locking means in the form of a rubber projection at the entrance of a catch bay,

FIG. 3: a representation similar to FIG. 2, but now with a different embodiment of the locking means,

FIG. 4 shows a top view of a necklace in a second embodiment, in which a closing means in the form of a hook is arranged on the neck-side ring, FIG. 5: a top view of another embodiment of the hook for the embodiment according to FIG. 4, and

FIG. 6: a top view of a link chain with a closing means in the form of a locking part, which is designed here as a shackle.

As can be seen from the figures, the following is first discussed in detail for the other exemplary embodiments in FIG. 1, the dog collar has a link chain 20 which is composed of a large number of individual, structurally identical chain links 22. In the specific exemplary embodiment in FIG. 1, the link chain is a so-called armored chain. The chain according to FIG. 4 is also an armored chain, but with a different design of the individual chain links. The embodiment according to FIG. 6 is a long link chain.

At the two ends of the link chain 20, two rings 24, 26 are arranged, which form the last chain links, so to speak. It is a neck-side ring 24 and a line-side ring 26. The function of both rings only arises in use, it is possible in the prior art and also in some exemplary embodiments to exchange the rings for one another, e.g. to use the neck-side ring 24 as a line-side ring 26. This is possible, for example, in the embodiment according to FIG. 6.

In the case of the ring 24 on the neck side, the clear diameter is significantly larger than a largest cross-sectional dimension of the link chain. This allows the link chain to be inserted freely through the ring and slide in it. In this way, a loop 28 is formed from the link chain 20 shown elongated in FIGS. 1 and 4; such a loop 28 shows the link chain according to FIG. 6. This loop encompasses a NEN only dashed neck 30 of an otherwise not shown dog.

To form the loop, a chain link 22, which is not directly connected to the ring 24, is inserted through this ring, in this way the loop 28 is formed. The total length of the link chain 20 is dimensioned such that the loop around the head of a dog can be led. A known dog leash 32, not shown here, is non-releasably attached to the ring 26 on the leash side. A locking means 34 is provided which interacts on the one hand with a selected chain link 22 and on the other hand with the neck-side ring 24. It has the task of limiting the minimum size of the loop 28.

In the embodiment according to FIG. 1, the closing means 34 is formed by a bulge 36, which protrudes in one piece from the ring 24 to the outside. As a result, the entire part has approximately the shape of a table tennis racket, the bulge 36 being a handle and the actual ring area being a racket surface. Within the bulge 36 there is a catch bay 38 communicating with the ring opening, it is dimensioned such that a chain link 22 can engage in it and hold it in a form-fitting manner. The hold occurs because the following chain part is necessarily transverse, in any case is designed so that it does not fit through the catch bay.

The ring 24 together with its bulge 36 can thus be described by two inner areas. On the one hand, the actual ring area through which the link chain 20 can slide freely and, on the other hand, the catch bay 38, within which the link chain 20 cannot move freely, within which it is thus caught. If you want to change the link chain 20, which is located in the catch bay 38, that is to say shorten or extend it, like or release, you have to move them into the actual ring area. Accordingly, the catch book 38 is dimensioned in depth and in its width such that a chain link 22 is caught, as shown in FIG. Relative movement is possible, but it is limited. In this respect, the captured chain link 22 is not spatially absolutely fixed relative to the catch bay 38, but it is just captured. The length of the chain link 22 allows the path of the relative movement, which is still allowed, to be predetermined. In this respect, the catch bay 38 must be adapted to the special chain that is to be kept in the catch bay 38. In the case of an armored chain, the permissible path is generally significantly smaller than in the case of a long-link chain, as is shown, for example, in FIG. 6.

In the embodiment according to FIG. 1, it is entirely possible to use the leash-side ring 26 in a previously known manner as a neck-side ring 24 and to attach a dog leash 32 to the ring 24. Then, however, the function of the closing means 34 is lost.

Figure 2 shows an embodiment in which in the catch bay 38 and in the vicinity of the transition area to the actual ring, a locking means 40 in the form of a rubber nub protrudes inward, which narrows the free passage. It must first be overcome in order to be able to move a chain link 22 out of the catch bay 38 into the annular space or back.

Figure 3 shows another training. Here, a rocker is provided as locking means 40, which is pivotable about an axis 42. Depending on the version, it also hinders or blocks the passage of a chain link 22 between catch bay 38 and the actual ring area, wherein different inhibition thresholds can be provided for both directions. Figure 4 shows a locking means 34 in the form of a hook. It is captively arranged with a first region 44 on the ring 24 on the neck side by encompassing this ring 24 in a closed manner. A hook area is designed such that it can engage in a chain link 22. Accordingly, the wire diameter of the closing means 34 is selected such that it is smaller than the clear opening of a chain link 22.

Here too, starting from the configuration shown in FIG. 4, a loop 28 is first formed by inserting any chain link 22, which is not directly connected to the ring 24, through the inner surface of this ring 24. To secure the loop 28, any chain link 22 is then picked out and fixed by the hook that forms the closing means 34. In this way, the maximum circumference of the loop 28 is predetermined.

FIG. 5 shows another locking means 34 in the form of a hook, that is to say similar to the embodiment according to FIG. 4. This is a part which is cut from a sheet, for example stamped. A tongue 46 is provided which secures the hook in a manner known per se, so that involuntary loosening is difficult.

Figure 6 finally shows a locking means 34 in the form of a blocking part, which is designed here as a shackle. This is achieved in that the chain part 22 provided with the shackle no longer fits through the neck-side ring 24. Instead of a shackle, any other, arbitrary part can be used, which can easily be connected to a selected chain link 22.

Only the minimum circumferential length of the loop 28 is predetermined by the closing means 34. The loop 28 can be made larger, just not smaller. The closing means 34 in the embodiment according to FIG. 5 therefore does not have to be loosened or removed in order to be able to remove the collar from a dog.

It is possible to assemble the link chain 20 from chain links 22 which are not identical. However, it is customary to form chain links 22 of identical construction. In the case of chain links 22 which are not identical, it must be ensured that the locking means 34 can actually interact with each individual chain link 22 with which a cooperation is to take place.

Claims

Description: Dog collar patent claims

1. dog collar with a link chain (20) which has at least the length of the neck circumference of a dog, which is composed of a plurality of preferably identical chain links (22) and which has a ring at both ends, at least one of these two rings (24, 26), namely a neck-side ring (24), has a clear diameter which is larger than the largest cross-sectional dimension of the link chain (20) so that it can slide freely through the neck-side ring (24), and with a locking means (34) associated with this neck-side ring (24), which can be positively connected to the individual chain links (22) and the position of the chain link (22) to which the locking means (34) is connected, relative to the neck-side ring (24) specifies so that the maximum length of a loop (28) encompassing the neck (30) of a dog is fixed.

2. Dog collar according to claim 1, characterized in that the closing means (34) is a hook which is articulated on the neck-side ring (24) and positively engages in or around a chain link (22).

3. Dog collar according to claim 1, characterized in that the closing means (34) by a bulge (36) of the neck ring (24) is formed, which protrudes outwards and forms a catch bay (38) in which a chain link (22) is held.

4. Dog collar according to claim 3, characterized in that in the catch bay (38) a locking means (40) is provided which prevents passage of a chain link (22) from the catch bay (38) into an annular space of the neck ring (24).

5. Dog collar according to claim 4, characterized in that the locking means (40) is an elastic projection, in particular a rubber knobs.

6. Dog collar according to claim 4, characterized in that the locking means (40) is a movable metal part, in particular a spring or pawl.

7. Dog collar according to claim, characterized in that the chain links (22) are made of metal.

8. Dog collar according to claim 1, characterized in that the other ring, namely the retaining ring (26), also has a clear diameter which is larger than the largest cross-sectional dimension of the link chain (20).