Housing for a collar-mounted pet accessory and associated collar mounting system

A housing (10) for a pet accessory, and an associated collar mounting system for mounting the housing (10) on a pet collar (12). The housing (10) includes a casing (14) for housing at least certain components of the pet accessory. Further, the housing (10) defines at least first and second selectively spaced channels (22, 24) for receiving the pet collar (12) and releasably securing the housing (10) on the pet collar (12). The housing (10) also includes at least one protrusion (26) disposed between the selectively spaced channels (22, 24) and which extends outwardly from the casing (14) for engagement with the pet collar (12) to inhibit movement of the housing (10) along the length of the collar (12).

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not Applicable

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

This invention relates to housings for collar-mounted pet accessories such as collar-mounted bark control devices, containment fence receivers, remote trainers, pet locators, and the like. More specifically, the present invention is related to a collar-mounted housing having an associated collar mounting system which includes a brake mechanism which maintains the position of the housing at a desired location along the length of the collar.

2. Description of the Related Art

Collar-mounted pet accessories such as collar-mounted bark control devices, containment fence receivers, remote trainers, pet locators, and the like, are well known. Certain collar mounted accessories are mounted on a collar by inserting one or more electrodes, probes, or mechanical fasteners through holes in the collar and securing the accessory in place, typically by threading a nut onto the electrodes, probes or mechanical fasteners, as is the case with respect to the devices disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,180,013 and 6,047,664. As a consequence of the electrodes, probes, and/or mechanical fasteners being received through the collar, the pet accessory is held at a desired location along the length of the collar. However, such collar mounting systems require that holes be made in the collar, and other systems, such as the one used with the device disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,601,054 require specially constructed collars to accommodate the housing. Certain collar-mounted pet accessories utilize loops or openings through which the collar is threaded to secure the accessory on the collar, thereby allowing the use of a conventional collar to support the housing. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,927,233 discloses a pet accessory that utilizes loops through which a collar is threaded. Whereas such loop mechanisms serve to secure the pet accessory to the collar, the accessory generally is allowed to move along the length of the collar. Although this may not be problematic with respect to certain collar-mounted pet accessories, it is desirable that certain pet accessories be maintained at a fixed location along the length of the associated collar. For example, certain bark control devices utilize vibration monitors to detect barking, and it is desirable that the vibration probe(s) of the vibration monitor be directly in contact with the throat of the dog proximate the vocal cords. Therefore, it is desirable that the bark control device remain at a fixed location along the length of the collar on which it is mounted. Similarly, collar mounted receivers for containment fences typically have stimulus delivery systems which selectively deliver corrective stimuli to a dog, and it is generally desirable that the receiver be positioned proximate the lower portion of the dogs neck when the stimulus is delivered. Accordingly, it is desirable that the collar-mounted receiver be maintained at a fixed location along the length of the collar such that the desired position of the receiver relative to the dog can more consistently be maintained.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a housing for a pet accessory and an associated collar mounting system for releasably securing the housing on a pet collar. The housing includes a casing for housing at least certain components of a pet accessory such as a collar-mounted bark control system, containment fence receiver, remote trainer system, pet locator, or the like. First and second loop members are carried by the casing for securing the housing to the pet collar. In this regard, the first loop member, in cooperation with the casing, defines a first channel for releasably receiving the pet collar, and the second loop member, in cooperation with the casing, defines a second channel for releasably receiving the pet collar. In various embodiments the housing includes one or more protrusions extending outwardly from the casing between the first and second loop members for engaging the pet collar to inhibit movement of the housing along the length of the collar.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A housing for a collar-mounted pet accessory in accordance with the present invention is illustrated generally at10in the drawings. The housing10is designed to be mounted on a collar12and can be utilized to house various pet accessories such as collar-mounted bark control systems, containment fence receivers, remote trainer systems, pet locators, and the like. As will be discussed in detail below, the housing10incorporates a collar mounting system including a brake mechanism that restricts the movement of the housing10, and the pet accessory therein, along the length of the collar12, thereby maintaining the housing10at a desired location on the collar12.

The housing10includes a casing14for housing the pet accessory (not shown). Whereas in the illustrated embodiment the casing14defines a three dimensional configuration made up of rectilinear walls, it will be understood that the casing14can define various configurations, and the desired configuration will typically be dictated by the requirements of the pet accessory to be mounted in the casing14. Further, in the illustrated embodiment the casing14includes joined front and rear components15′ and15″, respectively. However, it will be understood that the casing14can be integrally formed, or can be formed of various numbers of interlocking parts depending on the requirements of the pet accessory to be mounted therein. Moreover, the casing14can be fabricated of various strong, durable materials, such as plastic or metal.

The casing14defines a rear wall16that carries a collar mounting system which is utilized to releasably secure the housing10to a pet collar12. The collar mounting system includes first and second selectively spaced loop members18and20, respectively that, in cooperation with the rear wall16, define channels22and24through which a collar12is threaded as illustrated inFIGS. 1 and 2. In the illustrated embodiment of the housing10the loop members18and20are integrally formed with the rear wall16of the casing14. However, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the loop members18and20can be separately formed and secured to the rear wall16utilizing a suitable securing technique such as welding, adhesives, or mechanical fasteners.

As indicated above, the collar mounting system of the present invention incorporates a brake mechanism that restricts the movement of the housing10, and the pet accessory therein, along the length of the collar12, and, thereby, maintains the housing10at a desired location on the collar12. The brake mechanism includes at least one collar engaging protrusion26, and in the illustrated embodiment includes a plurality of collar engaging protrusions26′ and26″, which project from the casing14. As illustrated inFIGS. 2 and 3, in one embodiment the brake mechanism includes a row of three collar engaging protrusions26′ positioned between the loop members18and20, proximate the loop member18. In this particular embodiment, each of the protrusions26′ defines a wedge shape with a sloped side portion28terminating in a pointed distal end30and with an opposing side32that extends outwardly from the rear wall16of the casing14at substantially a right angle to the rear wall16. It will be noted that each protrusion26′ is oriented such that the sloped side portion28faces, and slopes downwardly toward, the channel22so as to provide a ramp structure. Thus, it will be recognized that the sloped side portions28facilitate the sliding movement of a collar12through the channel22in the direction of the arrow34, but the pointed distal ends30of the protrusions26′ engage the collar12, thereby inhibiting movement of the collar12through the loop18in the opposite direction. Whereas a row of three protrusions26′ are illustrated in the drawings, it will be understood that other numbers of protrusions26′ can be used.

As is also illustrated inFIGS. 2 and 3, in one embodiment the brake mechanism includes a row of three collar engaging protrusions26″ positioned between the loop members18and20, proximate the loop member20and selectively spaced from the protrusions26′. As in the case of the protrusions26′, in this particular embodiment, each of the protrusions26″ defines a sloped side portion28terminating in a pointed distal end30, and defines an opposing side32that extends outwardly from the rear wall16of the casing14at substantially a right angle to the rear wall16. Each protrusion26″ is oriented such that the sloped side portion28faces, and slopes downwardly toward, the channel24. Thus, it will be recognized that the sloped side portions28facilitate the sliding movement of a collar12through the channel24in the direction of the arrow36, but the pointed distal ends30of the protrusions26″ engage the collar, thereby inhibiting movement of the collar12through the loop20in the opposite direction. Whereas a row of three protrusions26″ are illustrated in the drawings, it will be understood that other numbers of protrusions26″ can be used.

Accordingly, it will be recognized that the pointed distal ends30of the collar engaging protrusions26′ and26″ cooperatively hold the housing10in place on the collar12after the collar has been threaded through the channels22and24. However, the sloped side portions28of the protrusions26′ and26″ facilitate the initial threading of the collar12through the loop members18and20. The sloped side portions28also facilitate the repositioning of the housing10along the length of the collar12and facilitate the removal of the housing10from the collar12. In this regard, after sufficient slack has been placed in the collar12between the two loop members18and20the pointed distal ends30will disengage from the collar and the sloped side portions28facilitate the uninterrupted movement of the collar12through the loop member18and20. However, notwithstanding the advantageous configuration of the illustrated protrusions26′,26″, it is contemplated that the protrusions can define other configurations which protrude from the casing14and engage the collar12to inhibit movement of the collar through the loop member18and20. The illustrated configuration of the protrusions26′,26″ is merely illustrative of one preferred embodiment of the protrusions26. For example, the protrusions26could define pyramidal, conical, rectangular, or various other shapes.

In order to enhance both the effectiveness of the braking action provided by the protrusions26and the ease with which a collar12can be moved through the channels22and24when desired, in one embodiment of the present invention the channels22and24each define arcuate pathways which, in cooperation with the protrusions26, serve to bend the collar12outwardly toward the casing14and then inwardly to be engaged by the pointed distal ends30of the protrusions26. For example, in the particular embodiment illustrated in the figures, each of the loop members18and20defines a convex inner surface38and the casing14defines an opposing concave surface portion40such that the convex inner surfaces38and the concave surface portions40cooperatively define the arcuate channels22and24. It will be recognized that the arcuate shape of the channels22and24in cooperation with the sloped side portions28of the protrusions26facilitate the threading of the collar12through the loop members18and20, without the collar12engaging the pointed distal ends30when there is slack provided in the collar12. However, when the slack is removed from the collar12, as in the case where the collar is secured about the neck of a pet, the outward bending of the collar as it is received through the arcuate channels22and24, followed by the inward bending of the collar12as it approaches the pointed distal ends30of the protrusions26, secures the housing in a fixed position on the collar12. Thus, the serpentine-like path of the collar12through the channel22, over the protrusions26, and through the channel24facilitates the secure positioning of the housing10on the collar12when the collar12is worn by the pet. However, when the collar12is removed from the pet, slack can be placed in the collar12between the loop member18and20to allow the housing10to quickly and easily be relocated on, or removed from, the collar12.

Whereas the concave surfaces40that help define the channels22and24can be integrally formed in the rear wall16of the casing14, it will be noted that in the illustrated embodiment of the housing10the rear wall16defines openings opposite the loop members18and20. Each of these openings receives a channel insert42that defines one of the concave surface portion40. In one embodiment, the two channel inserts42are integrally formed and connected by a bridging portion44therebetween. However, it will be understood that the channel inserts42can be formed as separate components. The channel inserts42can be fabricated of various strong, durable materials, such as plastic or metal. Further, the channel inserts42can be secured in position in the associated opening in the casing14by various methods. For example, various welding techniques can be used, such as ultrasonic or solvent welding. Also, various adhesives or mechanical securing mechanisms could be used.

In light of the above, it will be recognized that the housing10with its associated collar mounting system provides advantages over the prior art. The collar mounting system allows the housing to be quickly and easily mounted on a conventional pet collar without modifications being made to the collar and to be adjustably repositioned as desired with minimal effort. At the same time, the mounting system inhibits movement of the housing10along the length of the collar12while the collar12and housing10are secured to the neck of the pet. Accordingly, the housing10can be advantageously used to secure various pet accessories to a pet such as a collar-mounted bark control system, a containment fence receiver, a remote trainer systems, or pet locator.