Animal behavioral control apparatus

An animal behavioral control apparatus includes a cartridge, a housing, a head, and a horn. The cartridge contains pressurized gas. The housing surrounds at least a part of the cartridge. The head is connected to the housing and includes an actuator and a valve. The valve engages the cartridge when the actuator is actuated in order to release gas out of the cartridge. The horn is removably connected to the head. When the horn is not connected to the head, the animal behavioral control apparatus ejects a blast of gas when the actuator is actuated. And when the horn is connected to the head, the animal behavioral control apparatus emits a sound when the actuator is actuated.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present invention relates generally to controlling an animal, and more particularly to using an apparatus to control an animal's behavior.

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE

A variety of techniques can be used to control an animal's behavior. For example, dog trainers ordinarily teach dogs by a repetition and reward technique to, among other things, be domesticated, obey commands, compete in shows or races, work in law enforcement, protect property, perform tricks, and guide people who are visually impaired. But sometimes it may be necessary to interupt undesirable behavior as it is occurring in order to correct it, and sometimes one technique may work on one animal and not work on another animal.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to one embodiment, there is provided an animal behavioral control apparatus. The animal behavioral control apparatus may include a cartridge, a housing, a head, and a horn. The cartridge contains pressurized gas, and the housing may surround at least a part of the cartridge. The head may be connected to the housing and may include an actuator and a valve. The valve may engage the cartridge when the actuator is actuated in order to release gas out of the cartridge and eventually through an outlet port of the head. The horn may be removably connected to the head. When the horn is disconnected from the head, the animal behavioral control apparatus may eject a blast of gas, which may be directed at an animal. When the horn is connected to the head, the animal behavioral control apparatus may emit a sound, which may be directed at an animal.

According to another embodiment, there is provided an animal behavioral control apparatus. The animal behavioral control apparatus may include a housing, a cartridge, a head, a nozzle, an extension, an O-ring, a cap, and a horn. The cartridge contains pressurized gas and may be received at least partly within the housing. The head may extend from the housing and may include an actuator and a valve. The valve may interact with the cartridge to selectively release gas out of the cartridge. The nozzle may be connected to the head and may have an outlet port. The extension may be connected to the nozzle and may have a first end inserted into the outlet port of the nozzle. The extension may have a second end located opposite the first end, and may have a bore extending between the first end and the second end. The O-ring may be located in the extension and may have an orifice that restricts gas flow through the orifice. The cap may be inserted into the second end of the extension and may have an outlet orifice for ejecting gas through the orifice. The horn may be removably connected over the cap. When the horn is disconnected from the cap, the animal behavioral control apparatus may eject a blast of gas, which may be directed at an animal. When the horn is connected over the cap, the animal behavioral control apparatus may emit a sound, which may be directed at the animal.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring in more detail to the drawings,FIGS. 1-3show an exemplary embodiment of an animal behavioral control apparatus10that may be used to control an animal's behavior, such as to interrupt a dog's undesirable behavior during training and other activities. The animal behavioral control apparatus10is a single device that can optionally, and mutually exclusively in some cases, eject a blast of gas that may be objectionable to the dog or emit a sound that may be objectionable to the dog. Though not all animals may find a particular blast of gas or sound objectionable, the blast of gas or sound may, in some cases, at least distract or be noticeable by the animal.

The animal behavioral control apparatus10can eject a blast or shot of gas in a somewhat controlled and directed zone12which, when aimed at the dog, may be disagreeable to the dog and may disrupt whatever the dog is doing at the time. Alternatively, the animal behavioral control apparatus10can give-off a sound that may be disagreeable to the dog and may also interfere with whatever the dog is doing at the time. Referring toFIGS. 1-3, one embodiment of the animal behavioral control apparatus10may include a gas discharge device14that ejects gas, an extension16connected to the gas discharge device, and a horn18connected to the extension.

The gas discharge device14ejects a blast of gas when a user actuates it. Depending on the arrangement of the animal behavioral control apparatus10, the blast of gas may result in the zone of gas12or in the sound; in some cases, the blast of gas may result in both the zone of gas and the sound which may both be disagreeable to the dog. The gas discharge device14may be a compact hand-held device and may include a housing20with a head22. The housing20is constructed to receive and support a pressurized gas cartridge cylinder, such as a cartridge24. The cartridge24may contain pressurized gas such as CO2, N2, O2, NO, or the like. In one example, the cartridge24may be a 16 gram non-threaded or threaded reservoir. In other examples, the cartridge24may be a 25 or 38 gram threaded reservoir, or a 40-43 gram threaded reservoir. In one embodiment, an O-ring25may be located between the housing20and the cartridge24to facilitate fitting between the two. The O-ring25may have an X-shaped cross-section and may be made of rubber. Though not shown, the housing20may have an open bottom with a bottom of the cartridge24extending below the open bottom or being generally flush with the open bottom. Still in other examples, the housing20need not be included at all, where only the cartridge24is provided and the head22is equipped to the cartridge.

The head22may be connected to the housing20by screwing, may be unitary with the housing, or may be connected in another way. The head22may have a regulator or an internal valve29that, when operated, releases pressurized gas held in the cartridge24. An actuator such as a trigger26may be operatively connected to the internal valve whereby upon being pushed or pulled by a force F, the valve may insert a piercing pin (not shown) into the cartridge24which controllably releases pressurized gas from the cartridge. The head22may have an outlet port27. An attachment or nozzle28may extend from one end of the internal valve and may be inserted in the outlet port27. The nozzle28may define an outlet port30where the released gas is ejected out of the head22and out of the internal valve. In other examples, the nozzle28need not necessarily be provided where the extension16would be connected directly to the head22. A safety switch32may be operatively connected to the internal valve whereby, upon pressing or pulling, prevents the trigger26from being pulled and thus the gas from being released. In one example, the gas discharge device14can be an inflator such as the Ultraflate Plus that is sold by Genuine Innovations, Inc. of Tucson, Ariz. USA.

The extension16may be connected by press-fitting, screwing, or another way (shown inFIG. 3with outer threads) into the nozzle28to, among other things, control the ejected gas and serve as a fitting for the horn18. In one example, the extension16may be made of metal and may have a length of about 1.0 inches. In another example, the extension16may have a length of about 1.5 inches. The extension16may define a bore33that extends from a first end35to a second end37. In one example, the bore33may have a diameter of about 5/16 inch; of course other lengths and diameters are possible. In the embodiment shown, one or more O-rings and plates may be located and held in the bore33and spaced-apart with respect to each other. The one or more O-rings and plates may have different axial lengths, and may define orifices of different diameters. The different orifices may, among other things, restrict or choke gas flow, force the flowing gas to converge therein, and change the velocity and pressure of the gas flow thereat. In some embodiments, the extension16need not be provided.

For example, a first O-ring34may be made of rubber or cork and may define a first orifice36located therein. The first O-ring34may provide a seal between its periphery and the inner surface of the bore33. In one embodiment, the first O-ring34may be the only O-ring located in the extension16, and may be positioned between about ¼-½ inch measured from the second end37. A plate38may be composed of rubber or cork and may define a second orifice40therein having a diameter in a range of about 28/1000 inch to 30/1000 inch. And a second O-ring42may be composed of rubber or cork and may define a third orifice44having a diameter that may be greater than the second orifice40. The first orifice36may also have a diameter that may be greater than the second orifice40. The second O-ring42may provide a seal between its periphery and the inner surface of the bore33. The O-rings34,42may also serve as spacers.

A cap46may, though need not, be located at one end of the extension16and may define an outlet48through which the ejected gas can travel and which may form directed zone12. In one example, the outlet48may have a diameter in a range of about 33/1000 inch to 77/1000 inch, and may be about 0.029 inches to 0.031 inches. The cap46may be threaded to screw into the extension16, or otherwise connected to the extension. The exact size of each of the orifices including the first orifice36, the second orifice40, the third orifice44, and the outlet48may depend on, among other things, the desired number of individual blasts of gas and the desired intensity of the emitted sound. In other embodiments, the extension16may not have the O-rings or the plate, and instead may have a body that itself defines a single bore with varying diameters and with a unitary cap. And in yet other embodiments, the extension16may simply not have the O-rings or plate, and may only have the cap46.

The horn18may be removably and optionally press-fit over the second end37of the extension16, and may be used to radiate the resulting sound waves of the ejected gas to produce a sound that may be relatively intense and objectionable to the dog (as compared to a non-radiated and less intense hissing sound of the ejected gas without the horn). The horn18may also generate sound waves. The horn18may be composed of plastic and may be a one-piece structure that is injection molded. The horn18may have a flared bell end50, and a stem52defining a bore54. The bore54may be reamed or otherwise smoothed so that the stem52can be press-fit and inserted over the second end37of the extension16to connect the horn18to the extension. In one example, the horn18may be the SH3 horn supplied by Falcon Safety Products, Inc. of Branchburg, N.J., USA (www.falconsafety.com).

In use, the animal behavioral control apparatus10may optionally and selectively eject a blast of gas at the dog, may emit an objectionable sound at the dog, or may do both. For example, with the horn18removed, the trigger26may be manually pressed causing the piercing pin of the internal valve to penetrate the cartridge24and allow pressurized gas to escape through the head22, through the nozzle28, and into the extension16. The gas travels through the various orifices and the outlet48to create a sudden shot of the zone of gas12. With the horn18placed on the extension16(if so provided), the ejected gas travels through the horn and produces the objectionable sound. The example cartridge24and the various orifices may, in one example, produce 30 blasts of gas, 60 objectionable sounds of one second duration, or a combination thereof. Of course, the animal behavioral control apparatus may be used with other animals besides dogs, including outdoor animals and other household pets such as cats.

While the forms of the invention herein disclosed constitute presently preferred embodiments, many others are possible. It is not intended herein to mention all the possible equivalent forms or ramifications of the invention. It is understood that the terms used herein are merely descriptive, rather than limiting, and that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.