GB2425239A

GB2425239A - Dog lead

Info

Publication number: GB2425239A
Application number: GB0509765A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Mark Adrian Stead
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2005-04-21
Filing date: 2005-05-13
Publication date: 2006-10-25
Anticipated expiration: 2025-05-13
Also published as: GB2425239B; GB0507978D0; GB0509765D0

Abstract

The lead comprises a lead section 1, a harness 7 connected to the lead section via a hub 4 and a handle 5. All the components contain electrically conductive elements and form a circuit which when broken leads to an alarm being sounded. The alarm may also be user operated by pressing a button on the handle. The handle may also be provided with batteries which can be recharged by extension and retraction of the lead within the handle. The handle may also have an LED to show the device is active and a radio. In use the lead is used as an anti-theft device and may also have cut-resistant properties.

Description

* 1 2425239 Anti Dog-Theft Lead Dog-snatching, where family pet dogs are

stolen whilst tied up in public places or being walked, is increasing at an alarming rate with potentially devastating emotional and financial consequences for the owner. This invention aims to deter thieves from dogsnatching in public by providing a safe and secure means of controlling and tying up one or more dogs whilst in public, which gives all the functionality of a normal extendible dog lead, but with security features that are triggered when the dog or its harness or lead are tampered with.

Normal dog leads and harnesses can be easily and swiftly untied, unclipped or cut enabling the rapid and surreptitious theft of a dog in public without anyone noticing and in a matter of seconds. This combined harness and lead builds on the basic features of an everyday dog lead and harness to create a physically and electronically secure restraint which cannot be tampered with without triggering an alarm to alert the owner and others to a thief's attempts to snatch a dog. The alarm may also be triggered by the owner whilst walking if a thief attempts to grab the dog or make any other attack on the person. An owner can then walk their dog and secure it to a fixed object safe in the knowledge that any attempt to tamper with the dog's harness, lead or fixing will trigger an alarm in the form of a loud siren and maybe a flashing bright light, similar to how a car alarm alerts other passers by to tampering. The light may also be used for walking in the dark.

The combined harness and lead, as well as having the properties of a normal physical restraint, provides a tamper-proof electronic barrier to theft using a low voltage electrical circuit which passes around the entire arrangement and which triggers the alarm when broken. It effectively creates and maintains an electronic perimeter around the dog's restraint. The totality of the device can be seen in Figure 1. The three main components are the lead handle (Figures 2 and 3), the lead itself (Figure 4 represents a cross-section) and the harness hub (Figure 5).

The lead I itself may be covered in durable fabric (which may have cutresistant properties) but in essence consists of a flexible coaxial or two-core cable 2 which runs the length of the lead within an insulated exterior with locking connectors 3 at each end. This lead connects to the hub 4 and the lead handle 5 and may form the handle grip as well (or the grip may be formed separately as part of the handle case). it may also be housed coiled 6 within the lead handle 5 like a conventional extendible lead and extend in the normal manner on commercially standard lead spooling with a spring recoil and ratchet. The lead is constructed in this manner such that any attempt to cut the lead will result in the circuit being broken and the alarm triggered.

Toward the dog end' of the lead is the harness hub 4 (Figure 5). The harness 7 and harness hub 4 arrangement consists of a single looped, or more securely double looped, single-core, coaxial or two-core cable which may be covered in fabric, each end of which connects to the hub via locking connectors 3 with the middle of the length passing through the hub to form one or preferably two loops. This provides adjustment to the loops which pass over the dog's head and under each of the front legs as per Figure 5 such that the loops are tight around the dog. A single loop would simply act as a tight collar but this is not as secure a solution as two loops and so two loops are shown. This arrangement must form a reasonably tight fit and so the hub may be adjustable to allow for increasing and decreasing the length of this harness when the circuit is not in place or else different length harnesses may be used for different sized dogs, as a conventional collar is. The loops may also have on them additional adjustable sliding padding 8 to provide comfort to the dog when wearing the harness. Within the hub 4, the electrical circuit is simply completed by joining the two ends of the circuit together. The hub 4 is constructed in this way so that any attempt to loosen or release the dog's harness will result in the alarm being triggered.

The harness is also secured quite tightly around the dog such that it is almost impossible without a lot of time and effort to get the harness off without needing to loosen or unclip it first. The harness may also be used to harness two dogs without any additional components simply by using a longer harness and double looping each loop side of the harness back on itself as shown in Figure 6, and attaching any additional padding as required.

The lead handle 5 contains all the remaining components to make the system work.

The other end (the owner end') of the lead may pass through the lead handle 5 - it either passes straight through or via a widely used extendible manner 6 within the lead handle 5 with a normal ratchet and spring arrangement 10 to extend and retract the lead as required (Figures 2 and 3 represent each variant). The lead may then pass out of the back of the handle body and form the handle grip finally connecting to the handle body via a locking connector. Alternatively, the lead may terminate within the handle and a separate unlockable handle grip formed as part of the case in a similar fashion. Either arrangement enables the handle to be opened and placed around a pole, hoop or other fixed object and secured in place. Simple electronics within the handle then complete the alarm circuit, activating when the circuit is broken and only being able to be reset by turning the key 11. The key activates the security circuit and may also lock the grip connector in place though this is not essential. Also within the handle is a battery pack 12, a siren alarm 13 (similar to an attack or rape alarm siren), maybe also a torch light 14, and a small electronics pack 15. The electronics detect when the circuit is broken and trigger the alarm sound and light which can then only be reset by turning the key. The battery pack 12 is housed within the lead handle and the handle cover itself may have metal spade contacts forming part of the circuit to ensure it cannot be tampered with or the batteries removed without the alarm being deactivated. It may also or instead be physically locked in place by the key but this is not essential.

The circuit is activated (switched on or armed') when the harness hub 4 is in position and connected and the handle grip is connected and the key turned, and may be indicated by a small red LED 16 on the handle. A very low-voltage will then flow around the circuit. Any break in that circuit harness hub 4 release tampering, cutting of the lead 1 or the harness 7, cutting of the lead handle grip 5, attempt to remove battery pack 12 will then cause the circuit to break indicating an attempt at theft and the alarm will activate causing the siren 13 and the torch light 14 (if present) to trigger to alert the owner and passers by.

Other features which are not essential but would prove usellil are two buttons 17 on the handle - one to turn the light on and off to use the light as a torch when walking the dog in the dark and the other to turn on the attack alarm siren directly for use if attacked whilst walking which could then only be reset by the key. Further additional features might include a self-recharging lead utilising the repeated extension and retraction of the lead to recharge the battery removing the need to access the battery compartment, or a built-in radio powered by the handle battery for use when walking.

The extendible attribute of the dog lead is not essential and the principles of this invention may be applied equally to a dog lead which does not have an extending capability.

Claims

1. A combined dog lead and harness which utilises electronic and physical security features comprising a locking handle and grip forming part of the circuit, a two-part lead with a loop harness and hub all containing electrically conductive elements, and an electric current flowing in a loop around the entirety of the device to detect tampering and attempts to steal the animal or animals, and trigger a sound alarm.

2. A lead as claimed in Claim 1 where the sound alarm can also be activated whilst walking with a button.

3. A lead as claimed in Claims 1 or 2 with a torch light which is also triggered by tampering but is also activated by button for use as a conventional lead handle torch for use when walking at night.

4. A lead as claimed in any preceding Claim which contains an LED to indicate the device is active.

5. A lead as claimed in any preceding Claim which is extendible as well as

adjustable.

6. A lead as claimed in any preceding Claim which also contains a radio.

7. A lead as claimed in any preceding Claim which can be recharged using the energy from the repeated extension and retraction of the lead.

8. A lead as claimed in any preceding Claim where the harness is adjustable to different sizes.

9. A lead substantially as herein described above and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

- - e C: r C Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows I

1. A combined dog lead, harness and locking handle with a grip, the lead being connected at one end to the handle and connected at its other end to the harness via a hub characterised by all the component parts being arranged to conduct an electric current around the lead, harness and handle in a single circuit so that in use if the circuit is broken a sound alarm will be triggered.

3. A lead as claimed in Claims 1 or 2 with a torch light built into the handle which is also triggered by breaking the circuit but is also activated by button for use as a conventional lead handle torch for use when walking at night.

4. A lead as claimed in any preceding Claim which contains an LED on the lead handle to indicate the alarm circuit of the device is active.

5. A lead as claimed in any preceding Claim which is extendible as well as

adjustable.

6. A lead as claimed in any preceding Claim which also contains a radio in the lead handle.

7. A lead as claimed in any preceding Claim which recharges the batteries in the handle using an electric current induced from the action of the repeated extension and retraction of the lead within the handle.