Safety collar device

A safety collar device prevents choking of an animal when the animal catches the collar on a stationary object while running loose. The device includes a safety enclosure which envelopes the connecting mechanism of the collar (such as the "live" and "dead" rings at the ends of the chain of a choke collar) thus preventing the rings from being caught on the stationary object. The enclosure includes first and second enclosure halves which preferably are hinged to each other and operable between an open and a closed position. When in the closed position, the first and second halves completely conceal the rings of the choke collar. The enclosure has openings for the chain of the collar to pass through but which are sufficiently small to retain the rings within the enclosure. The safety enclosure includes a mechanism for keeping the first and second halves in the closed position.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention. 
The present invention relates to an animal safety collar of the type that 
prevents the animal from being caught or being chocked when the collar 
catches on an object while the animal is running loose. 
2. Description of the Prior Art. 
Dogs and other such animals typically wear collars around their necks. Many 
dogs wear a choker-type collar which is used as a training device for dogs 
and/or a restraining device for larger dogs. 
The choker-type collar typically includes a chain of links with a "live" 
and a "dead" ring located at opposite ends of the chain. The chain is 
typically pulled through the "dead" ring to form a chain loop that is 
placed around the dog's neck. The end of the chain with the "live" ring 
can be pulled through the "dead" ring thereby choking the dog permitting 
the owner to control the dog. Although the choker-type collar is a popular 
training aid, many dogs have been choked to death when running loose while 
wearing the choke collar. The "live" ring or the end of the chain attached 
to the "live" ring has been known to get caught on a stationary object 
while the dog is running, thereby choking the dog. 
In addition, other collars, not of the choke collar variety, are also 
susceptible to catching on such stationary objects. Although, with these 
types of collars, the dog is not in danger of being choked, the dog is 
immobilized and will need assistance in order to get free. 
Several patents in the prior art illustrate various attempts in trying to 
provide a safety collar. 
The Elsinger U.S. Pat. No. 2,616,394 shows a choke collar used for training 
dogs. The choke collar has a pair of connecting ring assemblies which 
force the individual links of the collar to lie flat relative to the neck 
of the dog regardless of the suddenness with which pressure is exerted on 
the choke collar. Consequently, the individual links of the chain do not 
bit into the dog's neck, eliminating injury to the dog which existed in 
previous choke collars. However, the choke collar of the Elsinger Patent 
does not obviate the injury that can be caused to a dog when running loose 
and catching the "live" ring on a stationary object, choking the dog. 
The Sullivan U.S. Pat. No. 2,743,702 shows a choke collar that can be used 
as a choke collar or can be converted to a standard collar all without 
removing or passing the collar over the animal's head. However, the collar 
of the Sullivan Patent does not solve the problem of the choke collar 
catching on a stationary object when in the choke mode. 
The kemmerling U.S. Pat. No. 3,701,339 illustrates a sleeve element that 
has an opening at each end of the sleeve and through which the chain of 
the collar passes. The sleeve is larger at one end than the circumference 
of the "live" ring of the choke collar and is slid over the ring covering 
the ring. The sleeve element of the Kemmerling Patent covers only a single 
link of chain, the "live" ring, and does not take the choke collar out of 
a choking mode. Consequently, the dog can still be choked if another link 
of the collar is caught on a stationary object since the chain would still 
be passing through the "dead" ring of the collar. In addition, the sleeve 
element can get caught on a stationary object. 
The Bongiovanni U.S. Pat. No. 3,817,218 illustrates an improved dog choke 
collar wherein the chain is covered by a tube of tough plastic or 
plastic-like material to avoid contact by the chain with the dog's neck. 
Although the choke collar of the Bongiovanni Patent eliminates the damage 
to hair and skin on the neck of the dog, the choke collar does not solve 
the problem of the collar becoming caught and choking the dog. 
The Herbert U.S. Pat. No. 3,872,833 shows a collar adapted to be used 
either as a standard collar or as a choke collar. A fastener is attached 
to the "live" ring and when the collar is in a conventional mode, the 
fastener is attached to one of the links of the collar and the leash is 
attached to the "dead" ring. To place the collar in a choke collar mode, 
the fastener is disengaged from the link of the chain and the leash is 
attached to the "live" ring. Again, the Herbert Patent does not solve the 
problem of the "live" ring catching on a stationary object when the collar 
is in the choke mode. In addition, this type of collar is not permitted in 
American Kennel Club sponsored functions and consequently must be removed 
and a standard collar placed on the dog. 
The Gardner et al U.S. Pat. No. 3,995,598 shows another variation of a 
safety collar. The Gardner collar uses a breakaway element connected 
between a first "live" ring which is directly connected to one end of the 
choke-chain and a second "live" ring to which the leash is attached. When 
the choking force exceeds a predetermined threshhold value, the breakaway 
element between the first and second "live" rings snaps. However, the 
first "live" ring can still be caught on a stationary object when the dog 
is running loose, choking the dog. 
A Swiss Patent granted to Gottfried Knusel, No. 314,228, shows a collar 
that has a stop ring on a side of the "dead" ring opposite from the "live" 
ring. The collar of the Gottfried Knusel Patent does not solve the safety 
problem of conventional choke collars but merely illustrates a type of 
choke collar that limits the amount a dog can be choked. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention includes a neck collar having first and second 
connecting members connectable with each other to form a continuous collar 
loop and a safety enclosure enveloping the first and second connecting 
members. The enclosure includes first and second enclosure halves 
preferably hingedly attached to each other and operable between an open 
and a closed position. A latching mechanism retains the first and second 
halves in a closed position up to a predetermined threshhold value. The 
enclosure, when in the closed position, includes at least one opening 
through which the collar extends so that the connecting members are 
positionable within the enclosure. The openings are sufficiently small so 
that the first and second connecting members cannot slide out of the 
safety enclosure. 
When the neck collar is a choke-type collar, the "live" and "dead" rings of 
the choke collar are placed within the enclosure to prevent the "live" 
ring from getting caught while the dog is running loose. Alternatively, 
the choke-type collar is placed in a non-choking mode, with the rings 
disengaged from each other, and the disengaged rings are placed in the 
enclosure. The enclosure then serves as a link between the "live" and 
"dead" rings. If the collar gets caught on a stationary object, the dog 
will pull on the collar until the predetermined threshhold value of the 
latching mechanism is overcome, at which time the enclosure opens and 
permits the dog to free itself.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
The safety collar device of the present invention is generally indicated at 
10 in FIG. 1. Preferably, the safety collar device includes a choke collar 
12. Although a choke collar is preferred, a standard collar is includable 
within the present invention when the invention is placed in a "release" 
state. The collar 12 has a plurality of interlocked links 14 forming a 
chain with a "live" ring 16 at one end and a "dead" ring 18 at another 
end. The "live" and "dead" rings 16 and 18 are larger in size than the 
individual chain links 14. The "live" ring 16 is at least as large in 
diameter as the "dead" ring 18. 
A safety enclosure 20 completely envelopes the "live" ring 16 and the 
"dead" ring 18. The safety enclosure includes an upper enclosure half 22 
and a lower enclosure half 24. Preferably, the upper half 22 and the lower 
half 24 are hingedly attached to each other by a living hinge 26, as 
illustrated in FIG. 2. In one successful embodiment, the upper half 22 and 
the lower half 24 and the living hinge 26 are molded as one integral piece 
from polypropylene or other plastic material with similar properties. The 
living hinge 26 permits the upper half 22 and the lower half 24 to be 
operable to an open position, as illustrated in FIG. 2, and to a closed 
position, as illustrated in FIG. 1. 
The upper and lower halves 22 and 24 are preferably mirror images of each 
other. The upper half 22 has side walls 21 and a top 23 and the lower half 
has side walls 25 and a bottom wall 27. Although the enclosure is shown 
rectangular in shape, other enclosure shapes, such as hexagonal, oval or 
circular, are within the scope of the present invention. Further, other 
forms of an enclosure such as upper and lower halves being hemispherical 
in configuration are also includable within the present invention, with 
the criterion that the upper and lower enclosure halves are operable 
between an open and a closed position. 
When in the closed position, the upper half 22 and the lower half 24 are 
placed in abutting relationship to form a cavity 28. The cavity 28 is 
sufficiently large to completely envelope and house the "live" ring 16 and 
the "dead" ring 18. A pair of openings 30 and 32 are formed by the upper 
half 22 and the lower half 24 when in the closed position. The upper half 
of the opening 30 is formed by a curved edge 31A of the upper enclosure 
half 22 and a curved edge 33A of the lower enclosure half 24. The opening 
32 is similarly formed with similar curved edges 31B and 33B in the upper 
and lower enclosures halves on an opposite side wall. As illustrated in 
FIG. 2, the rings 16 and 18 are placed within the lower enclosure half 
with the links of the chain positioned over the lower curved edges of the 
lower enclosure half 24. The upper and lower halves are then placed in the 
closed position, concealing and retaining the rings 16 and 18 within the 
cavity 28. 
The upper half 22 and the lower half 24 are held in a closed position by a 
clasp 34. The clasp 34 preferably includes a tongue member 36 attached to 
the upper half 22 and two spaced apart retaining tabs 38 attached to the 
lower half 24. Preferably, the tongue 36 and the tabs 38 are integrally 
molded with the upper and lower halves, respectively. The tongue 36 
extends below a lower edge of the upper enclosure half 22 and has a head 
36A which extends between the tabs 38 engaging an underside of each tab 38 
thereby holding the upper and lower halves in a closed position. The clasp 
34 releases the upper and lower halves 22 and 24 from the closed position 
at a predetermined threshhold value. A suitable threshold value is in the 
range of approximately 20 to 30 pounds of force. Although the clasp 34 is 
described in detail, it should be understood that clasps of other 
structure and other retaining mechanisms are within the scope of the 
present invention. 
To place the present invention in a "release" state, the "live" and "dead" 
rings 16 and 18 are positioned within the lower enclosure half in the 
disengaged relationship, as illustrated in FIG. 3. The links of the chain 
are then positioned over the curved edges of the lower enclosure half 24. 
The upper enclosure half 22 is then pivoted along the living hinge 26 in a 
downwardly direction as indicated by arrow 40 to a closed position. When 
in the closed position, the enclosure serves as a link between the "live" 
and "dead" rings of the collar 12. When in a closed position, the collar 
12 and the enclosure 20 are suitably positioned over the neck 42 of a dog 
44, as illustrated in FIG. 4. 
When the dog 44 is running free with the collar device of the present 
invention and if the collar device should happen to get caught on a 
stationary object, the dog will pull to set itself free. With the present 
invention, the dog simply has to exert enough force to overcome the 
threshhold value of the clasp 34 of the enclosure 20. When the dog exerts 
force greater than the threshhold value of the clasp 34, the upper and 
lower halves 22 and 24 will retract to an open position, releasing the 
"live" and "dead" rings 16 and 18 from with the cavity 28, freeing the 
dog. As will be easily understood by those skilled in the art, in the 
release state, the present invention includes other types of collars other 
than choke collars that are connected at their ends to form the collar. 
The ends of the collars other than choke collars are placed similarly 
within the enclosure with the connecting ends in a disconnected 
relationship. 
To place the present invention in a non-choking mode, the "live" and "dead" 
rings of the choke collar are placed within the lower enclosure half 24 in 
a choking mode, as illustrated in FIG. 2. The links 14 of the chain are 
placed over the lower curved edges of the lower enclosure half. The upper 
and lower enclosure halves are then pivoted about the living hinge 26 to a 
closed position. When in the closed position, the "live" and "dead" rings 
16 and 18 are concealed from view eliminating the possibility of the 
"live" ring 16 getting caught on a stationary object while the dog is 
running loose. To use the collar 12 in a choking mode, the upper and lower 
enclosure halves 22 and 24 are simply retracted to an open position and 
the dog owner then uses the collar 12 in a conventional manner. 
The device of the present invention also serves as an identification tag. 
The inner surfaces of the upper and lower halves are preferably a vapor 
finish permitting the owner to write identification information on the 
inner surface. 
In summary, the safety collar device of the present invention provides an 
owner with a simple means of preventing his dog from being choked while 
running loose with a choke collar. In addition, the present invention 
permits a more concerned owner to place a collar in a "release" state such 
that if the dog catches his collar while running loose, the dog, through 
its own effrots of trying to get loose, will release itself. 
Although the present invention has been described with reference to 
preferred embodiments, workers skilled in the art will recognize that 
changes may be made in form and detail without departing from the spirit 
and scope of the invention.