GB2379373A

GB2379373A - Pet headcollar

Info

Publication number: GB2379373A
Application number: GB0121566A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Irene Holbrook
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2001-09-06
Filing date: 2001-09-06
Publication date: 2003-03-12
Anticipated expiration: 2021-09-06
Also published as: GB0121566D0; GB2379373B

Abstract

Pet headcollar for leading or controlling a pet such as a dog, comprising a strap 2 which carries a ring 16 at one end 18 and a slide opening 24 provided in the body of the strap 2. The headcollar is formed by threading the opposite end 26 of the strap 2 firstly through the slide opening 24 and then through the ring 16 to provide a figure of eight configuration to the strap whose loops 28 and 30 are adapted to respectively fit around the dog's nose and neck. End 26 constitutes a leash or may alternatively comprise means for attachment of a separable leash. Also disclosed is a pet collar comprising a strap and a chain forming an endless collar and a buckle to adjust the size of the collar (Figs 3 and 4).

Description

Pet Headcollar The present invention relates to pet headcollar, and in particular, but not exclusively to a headcollar for leading or controlling a dog.

Traditionally, when an individual takes a dog for a walk a leash, in the form of a lead or chain, is attached to a collar worn on the dog's neck. The individual pulls on the leash to lead or control the dog. However, if the dog strains against the leash attached to its collar, the collar can assert undue pressure on the dog's throat causing potential chocking, muscle and nerve damage. Also, long term health problems may arise especially respiratory and heart defects. Furthermore, the dog's fur can be worn by the action of the collar.

In order to alleviate the above described disadvantages harnesses have been developed which do not act directly on the throat area of the dog. In one known harness straps are provided which fit under the dogs front legs, that is to the underarm area. A leash is attached in the normal fashion and when the leash is pulled back in order, for example to bring the dog to a halt, the harness applies pressure via the straps to the underarm area of the dog. However, it has been found that this type of harness is not effective for a large or particularly aggressive or strong dog, because a stronger pulling force must be applied to the leash to control such a dog and the consequential increase in pressure to the sensitive underarm area may induce damage to underarm ligaments.

In another known type of harness, the straps rather than fitting under the arm pits are instead deployed around the dogs waist. However, this too can lead to potential muscle damage and may induce vomiting if too much pressure is applied to the leash because of the dog straining against the leash.

Each of the above described harnesses can still cause rubbing of the dog's fur. Furthermore, the harnesses are not adjustable and therefore a specific size of harness must be produced for a specific size of dog. This leads to an increase in production costs and non-transferability of the harness between different sizes of dog.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a headcollar for dogs or other pets which avoids a chocking effect on the throat of the dog. or undue pressure on muscles or ligaments of the dog, whilst still enabling a restraining force to be applied in order to control the dog. It is a further object to provide a headcollar which is easily adaptable to fit a variety of sizes of dogs.

In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a strap, a strap receiving ring which is carried on the strap, and a strap receiving opening on the strap, which strap receiving opening is remote from said strap receiving ring.

This has the advantage that the strap can be threaded through its opening and ring to provide a neck and nose loop. These loops can be

adjusted to the required size by simply adjusting the amount of strap which is passed through the opening and ring.

The strap receiving ring may be carried on one end of the strap and the opposite end on the strap forms a leash or has leash attachment means.

In accordance with a second aspect of the invention there is provided a pet collar comprising a strap, a leash-linkable chain, and two coupling rings carried by the strap, wherein the chain is carried between said coupling rings to make the collar endless, the strap further having adjustment means to alter the size of the collar.

In a preferred embodiment the adjustment means is provided at one end of the strap and has catch means through which the strap is backthreaded to form a loop which depends from the adjustment means.

In a further preferred embodiment one of said coupling rings is retained by said loop. The other coupling ring may be retained at the opposite end of said strap., The adjustment means may be in the form of a buckle.

The strap may be a woven, plastics material, more preferably the plastics material is polypropelene. Polypropelene has the advantage that it is resilient and therefore is not easily distorted, whilst also being a nonirritant and thereby does not unnecessarily rub the pet's fur in use. The woven polypropelene is also particularly strong, made thicker than standard to provide a good degree of flexibility.

The edges of the strap may be rounded. This further reduces chafing.

The strap may carry a protective lining on a fur contacting surface thereof. This also further reduces chafing.

By way of example only specific embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which :- Fig. 1 is a schematic view of a pet headcollar constructed in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 2 is a schematic view of the headcollar of Fig. 1 showing the placement of the harness on a dog; Fig. 3 is a schematic view of a second embodiment of pet collar ; and Fig. 4 is a detail of the buckle region of the collar of Fig. 3.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, a first embodiment of harness comprises a polypropelene, woven strap 2. The longitudinal edges 4,6 of the strap are woven such that they are thicker than standard and present a rounded, rather than the standard square edge to the strap. The strap has 33% more yarn in the warp than a standard strap used making the strap heavier and 1 mm thicker than a standard strap.

The headcollar is manufactured as follows: One end of the strap is folded back along a portion of its length and

the doubled-back portion is stitched together, across the width of the strap, at 8,10, 12 and 14. Before stitching a ring 16 is threaded onto the strap and the stitching at 8 retains the ring 16 in place at the end 18 of the strap.

A cross of reinforcing stitching is applied to the strap between each of stitching 8 and 10 and the stitching 12 and 14 respectively to further secure the folded together sections of the strap together. The folded together sections of the strap, between stitching 10 and 12 is not further secured together and thereby forms a slide opening 24 between the strap and its folded back portion.

In use the headcollar is assembled as follows: The user takes the opposite end of the strap 26 and threads it firstly

through the slide opening 24 and then through the ring 16. It should be.

. noted that in the figures the full length of the strap end 26 has not been illustrated for the ease of illustration. The end 26 is longer and constitutes the leash which terminates with a hand grip for the user to hold in use.

Alternatively, however the strap end 26 may be relatively short and terminate in an attachment ring (not illustrated) to enable the connection of a separable leash, in the form of a lead or chain to the headcollar.

The threading of strap end 26 through the slide opening 24 and ring 16 forms two loops 28 and 30 within the body of the strap. Loop 28 fits, in use, around the dog's nose, as best illustrated in Fig. 2, whilst loop 30 fits around the dog's neck. When the dog owner pulls on the end 26 of the

strap, the strap 2 is pulled further through the ring 16 and slide-opening 24 thereby reducing the size of nose loop 28. This has the effect of restriction and pressure on the whole of the dogs head, which results in the dog backing off from the pressure, therefore stops pulling. It has been found that this type of restriction discourages the dog from straining against the leash and is less harmful to the dog because the strap does not tighten solely about its throat. It has been further found that this type of restriction quickly trains the dog to stop pulling against its leash.

The loops 28 and 30 may be preformed in the headcollar before it is placed on the pet, or the strap may be threaded through the slide-opening 24 and ring 16 as the strap is placed around the dog. The headcollar is. readily adjusted to the required size by simply pulling end 26 to decrease. the nose and neck loops 28 and 30 to the required size. Thereby the headcollar is easily adjustable to fit any size of pet.

In the embodiment. of Figs. 3 and 4 the collar comprises a polypropelene, woven strap 2 and leash-linking chain 40. The chain 40 is endless and carries a leash-linking ring 42 for the attachment of a leash.

The chain 40 is carried between two coupling rings 44,46. One of the coupling rings 44 depends from one end 48 of the strap 2, the other ring 44 is carried in a slide-opening 50 provided in the strap 2. The chain thus coupled to the strap 2 makes the collar endless and in use the collar is worn about a dog's or pet's neck. When a leash is attached to leash-linking ring

42 and the leash pulled, this chain is drawn away from the dogs neck and closes the gap between coupling rings 44 and 46, thereby tightening the collar about the dog's neck enabling control of the dog.

The strap 2 also carries a buckle 52 to enable the collar to be adjusted in size and to enable it to be tightened around the dogs neck to prevent the dog slipping its head out of the collar. The buckle 50 depends from the opposite end 54 of the strap 2. From the buckle 52 the strap 2 extends through the coupling ring 46 and is folded back on its self before being passed through the buckle 52. The folded back section of the strap 2 forms the slide-opening 52 therebetween.

The size of the collar is adjusted by moving the strap 2 through the buckle 52, thereby reducing or increasing the length of the section of the strap forming the slide opening 50. The size of the collar is fixed by passing the hinged pin 56 of the buckle 52 though the strap and pulling the strap 2 flush to the surface of the buckle.

As in the previous embodiment the edges 4,6 of the strap are woven thicker than standard and provide a rounded edge, thereby reducing chafing.

The ends of the strap have been illustrated as being folded back on themselves and stitched in order to retain ring 16 or the coupling ring 44 and buckle 52 thereon. Also, the slide-open 24 has been described as being formed by stitching. However, other means to attach and form such could

be used for example adhesives or welding.

Although the strap has been described as being made of woven polypropelene yarns, other materials may be employed, or the strap may be non-woven. The materials employed being selected in order to provide the required strength and flexibility to enable the strap to fit to the pet, whilst enabling control. The materials selected to provide the required degree of slidability which enable the strap to be easily slipped through the buckle and/or the slide-opening.

Although the slide-opening has been described as being formed : between a folded back section of the strap and the strap, a separate patch of strap could be fitted to the strap to produce the opening or the opening. may simply be a cut-away section in the body of the strap.

.

Claims

Claims 1. A pet headcollar comprising a strap, a strap receiving ring carried on the strap and a strap receiving opening on the strap, which strap receiving opening is remote from said strap receiving ring and wherein the strap is threadable through its opening and ring to provide adjustable neck and nose loops to the headcollar.
2. A headcollar as claimed in claim 1, wherein one end of the strap forms a leash or has leash attachment means.
3. A headcollar as claimed in claim 2, wherein the ring is carried at the opposite end of said strap.
4. A headcollar as claimed in claim 1,2 or 3, wherein the strap receiving opening and/or strap receiving ring form slide opening (s).
5. A headcollar as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the strap receiving opening is formed between a folded section of the strap.
6. A pet collar comprising a strap, a teash-tinkabte chain, and two coupling rings carried by the strap, wherein the chain is carried between said coupling rings to make the collar endless, the strap further having adjustment means to alter the size of the collar.
7. A collar as claimed in claim 6, wherein the adjustment means is provided at one end of the strap and has catch means through which the strap is back-threaded to form a loop which depends from the adjustment means.
8. A collar as claimed in claim 7, wherein one of the coupling rings is

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retained by said loop.
9. A collar as claimed in claim 8, wherein the other coupling ring is retained at the opposite end of said strap.
10 A collar as claimed in any one of claims 6 to 9, wherein the adjustment means is a buckle.
11. A headcollar as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one edge of the strap is rounded.
12. A headcollar as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the strap carries a protective lining on a fur contacting surface thereof.
13. A headcollar as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the strap comprises a woven material.
14. A headcollar as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the strap comprises a plastics material.
15. A headco ! ! ar as claimed in claim 14, wherein the plastics material comprises a polypropelene.
16. A pet headcollar constructed and adapted to operate substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.