Personal carrier-mounted dog leash with distal stiffener

A dog leash having a stiffener and a mast, the latter connected to a clamp by a flexible coupling. Moored to the clamp by a cord, the stiffener protrudes outwardly from the mast's end distal from the clamp. Built up by encasing a cord segment and the base of a clip in a semi-rigid plastic sheath, the stiffener directly links the clip to the mast. Because, in use, the stiffener and the clip ride attached to the dog's collar without slapping or flopping around randomly so as to confuse the animal, the leash can transmit nonverbal communication free of extraneous signals from the user of a personal carrier to a tethered dog. The dog can be then trained quickly and easily controlled, making possible the leash's use not only on bicycles but also, once they have been retrofitted with a universal mounting bracket, on wheelchairs and other personal carriers.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to personal carrier-mounted dog exercising devices.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Except for dog leashes mounted on bicycles, personal carrier-mounted dog exercising devices are unknown in the prior art. Bicycle-mounted dog leashes, on the other hand, have been around for decades. By using them, dog owners can save time: the bicyclist can gain sufficient exercise for both himself and his pet without his having to expend extended periods of time in the process, as is required of those who exercise their dogs by walking, for example.

In addition, a user reduces the hazards to which he might otherwise be exposed if he were simply pedaling a bicycle in the customary manner but with a dog's leash attached to the handlebars or to another portion of the bicycle frame or else holding the leash in one hand as he pedaled. Nevertheless, for every one of these earlier bicycle-mounted devices, only able-bodied persons are in a position to actually benefit from its use. Moreover, those who are able-bodied need to possess a remarkably high degree of athleticism. Not only must they be capable of riding a two-wheeled bicycle but also they must be able to maintain their balance and a reasonable level of control when a dog is tethered to the bicycle.

Past efforts directed toward reducing hazards for both the bicyclist and his dog have focused on providing the tethered animal with as much freedom of motion, and as great a range across which to move, as possible, while at the same time keeping the dog away from the bicycle's wheels. To meet these objectives, each prior art bicycle-mounted dog leash has included an outwardly projecting rigid structure and, attached thereto, an elongated, flexible strap which gives the tethered dog ample amounts of slack.

Unfortunately, these earlier devices whether mounted high on a bicycle frame and just behind the bicycle seat, as taught by Allred in U.S. Pat. No. 5,215,037, which issued Jun. 1, 1993, or lower down on the frame, as taught by Leon in U.S. Pat. No. 7,013,840, which issued on Mar. 21, 2006, have, because of their respective strap and the slack it provides, catered to the dog's natural tendency to pull on its leash.

Indeed, the tethered dog, and especially one that is trying its best to follow the bicyclist's lead, will pull on the flexible strap in an attempt to eliminate any slackness in it and thereby gain a better sense, through direct physical contact, of the direction in which the bicyclist wishes to head. Eliminating this slackness helps the dog because a taut strap cannot generate the slapping noises and other extraneous signals which a slack strap makes, all of which tend to confuse a tethered dog as it seeks to gain direction-giving information from the bicyclist.

Not only has the bicyclist had to compensate for the dog's natural tendency to pull on a leash, but also he has had to be ready, in an instant, to check certain erratic behavior patterns which dogs are known to exhibit. An episode of erratic behavior, such as one in which a large dog suddenly lunges sideways, could result in the tethered animal destabilizing both the bicycle and its rider, tipping them over, and injuring the bicyclist and his dog in the process.

Recognizing that a generally well-behaved dog may indulge in erratic behavior on occasion, Leon offered a bicycle-mounted dog leash designed to reduce the likelihood that a dog tethered with it could tip over a bicycle. In this prior art leash, a clamp—the only element connecting it to the bicycle frame—is attached to the bicycle's rear wheel support structure downwardly of its rear wheel axle. With the clamp so attached, the tipping moment between the point where the leash is connected to the frame and the point of contact of the bicycle's rear wheel with the ground is kept to a minimum. As a result, a sharp sidewise pull by a tethered animal tends to slide the bicycle sideways rather than tipping it over.

Turning to biomechanics, Leon was able to reduce the tipping forces further by incorporating into this same prior art leash a rigid, semi S-shaped mast. In practice, this further reduction is accomplished by adjusting the overall height of the mast during installation. Specifically, the end of the mast distal from the clamp is brought, as Leon teaches in U.S. Pat. No. 7,013,840, into a position in which this end is disposed at a height which approximates that of the dog's shoulder. With the mast's end so positioned and with the dog tethered to it by a flexible strap, the animal automatically lowers its head as it pulls sidewise, thus reducing its pulling ability.

While this prior art leash, with its mast properly adjusted, does reduce the tethered dog's pulling ability, a would-be user still needs to possess a high degree of athleticism. The bicyclist has to be able to control his bicycle whenever the dog opts to pull on the flexible strap and in whatever direction it pleases the animal to pull at any given moment.

Not surprisingly, no one in the prior art has suggested any version of a dog leash mounted on a wheelchair or the like, even though such a device could provide a handicapped person with a dog's much-needed companionship or assistance. Exactly how a mobility-impaired user can keep a wheelchair with a dog tethered to it under control at all times has remained, until now, a major stumbling block to the development of a wheelchair-mounted dog exercising device.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide a dog leash which can be mounted on a personal carrier such as a wheelchair, a power chair, an adult tricycle, or the like and which, when the personal carrier is being moved about, affords the tethered dog with sufficient freedom of motion that it can walk or run in view beside the rider and then trail behind as needed to avoid obstacles, and which still allows a handicapped occupant to keep the personal carrier under control at all times.

A further object of this invention is to provide a personal carrier-mounted dog exercising device which not only can feed a tethered animal, without his having to pull on a flexible strap or the like, clear, nonverbal direction and speed control commands from the carrier's occupant but also eliminates extraneous signals originating with the motion of the dog himself as he runs, such as the slapping of a slack strap or the rattling of a clip attached thereto.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a dog exercising device which can be quickly attached, without the use of tools, to the frame of nearly all personal carriers, such as bicycles, adult tricycles, wheelchairs, power chairs, Segways® and the like, without modifying the carrier and which, during installation, can be readily adjusted to accommodate the tethered dog according to its size.

The improved dog leash comprises a clamp, a flexible coupling, a hollow, rigid, semi S-shaped mast, and an elongated cord, as well as a stiffener which is built up on a leading segment of the cord and which protrudes outwardly from the mast's outer end. The clamp anchors the dog leash to the carrier's frame near a low point thereon or, alternately, to a universal mounting bracket attachable to the frame. Juxtaposed between the clamp and the mast's inner end and fixedly attached to each of them is the flexible coupling. From it, the mast extends outwardly, arching upwardly to the stiffener. The latter, which is moored within the mast's outer end by the cord and connected by it to an ear-like member of the clamp, terminates, outside of the mast, in a clip fastenable to a standard dog collar or harness.

Preferably fabricated of a hollow core, braided polypropylene cord or the like which, after being first inserted into a sleeve, looped with it through the clip's base, and next fed into the hollow core of the cord's leading segment through a slit formed therein, with the cord so fed emerging distal from the slit at the leading segment's end, is then encased, once portions of the sleeve and of the cord proximate with the clip have been coated with a hot melt glue-type adhesive, in a semi-rigid plastic sheath shrink-fitted onto the core-filled leading segment, the stiffener forms a built-up span which, in use, links the mast to the clip. Alternately, this built-up span can be fitted by encasing the leading segment in resilient polyurethane or the like or attached directly to the mast.

Not only is the stiffener thus fabricated stiff enough that, unlike the flexible straps of the prior art, it cannot flop about and make slapping noises, but also the stiffener immobilizes the clip's base so that it cannot move from side to side independently of the cord's leading segment. With its base so held, the clip can no longer rattle or otherwise generate dog-distracting chatter, including that set in motion by the tethered dog's own exertions.

Nevertheless, the stiffener is sufficiently flexible that it can be bent downwardly whenever the tethered animal wishes to sniff or lower its head for some other purpose. Moreover, the stiffener must bend first, ahead of the flexible coupling and its juncture with the mast, so that the mast's outer end, whenever the stiffener is so bent, can be kept at approximately the dog's shoulder height. Otherwise, if the coupling were to flex in such a way as to drop the mast, the dog could step over it. Then each time the dog lowered his head, a handicapped rider could find herself having to stop the personal carrier and have someone reposition the animal on the outside of the mast.

An installer can adjust the height of the mast's outer end to accommodate a particular dog by varying the angle at which the clamp is attached, whether onto the carrier's frame or onto the universal mounting bracket, or, alternately, by rotating the flexible coupling. In the latter situation, a quick-drying release agent is preferably used to free the flexible coupling which, in assembled relation with the clamp, is force-fitted onto the ear-like member thereof. The flexible coupling, once rotated to properly position the mast's outer end, is then held immobile until the release agent dries, locking in the desired adjustment.

Properly mounted relative to one or the other of a tethered dog's shoulders, the mast's outer end, with the stiffener protruding therefrom—whether it is fully extended or in a bent or curved condition, can then be used as a prod for automatically applying a gentle push to a sensitive area near the shoulder, prompting the dog to turn away from the personal carrier whenever its occupant begins to turn toward the animal. Alternately, in the case of a very large dog that stands, at shoulder height, well above the mast's outer end, the stiffener itself can be used as a prod for gently pushing against the dog's rib cage and urging him to turn away as needed.

If instead of initiating a turn toward the dog, the occupant of the personal carrier opts to turn it away from the tethered animal, the carrier will automatically apply a gentle tug, transmitted through the stiffener to his collar or harness, again prompting the dog to change direction in sync with the carrier and its occupant.

Spacing the tethered animal so that he cannot get in front of the personal carrier's wheels may require the installer to shorten the length of that portion of the stiffener which protrudes from the mast's outer end. When the clip disposed at the end of the stiffener is one which does not swivel, such as a carabineer-type fastener, the stiffener can be shortened by repeatedly twisting said protruding portion. Keeping the shortened stiffener from un-twisting is also readily accomplished: one simply attaches the clip to the tethered dog's collar or harness.

Alternately, in those cases in which the dog leash is to be dedicated for use with a particular dog and personal carrier combination, this shortening can be accomplished by pulling an additional length of the elongated cord out of the mast's inner end, as well as out of the flexible coupling joined thereto, cutting excess cord, tieing the shortened cord onto the clamp's ear-like member, and then force-fitting the ear-like member and the cord tied thereto into the flexible coupling.

A shortened stiffener is preferably used not only when the overall length of the personal carrier is such that a dog could get himself in front of the carrier's wheels but also in situations in which the clip is attached to a dog's harness—usually at a point further back on the animal than if he were wearing a collar. In use, the length of that portion of the stiffener which protrudes from the mast's outer end varies widely. Fully extended, this protruding portion preferably measures when the personal carrier in use on a typical bicycle, for example, up to 25.4 cm (10 inches) in length; but when twisted or otherwise shortened, it can be as short as 7.6 cm (3 inches).

The flexible coupling between the clamp and the mast, like the one disclosed earlier by Leon, allows the mast to move, relative to its juncture with the flexible coupling, through an angle of approximately 180 degrees between the carrier's forward and aft directions. This flexibility, coupled with that of the stiffener, greatly reduces the chance of injury to the animal even if he were to go around the opposite side of a tree or pole from the personal carrier and brings himself to a sudden stop.

While the clamp, which employs only two mating elements preferably held together in assembled relation by bolts and hand tightened nuts, is mounted directly on the frame of a bicycle, such an approach cannot be used in the case of many other personal carriers. Wheelchairs, power chairs, adult tricycles, shopping carts for the handicapped, and Segway® personal mobility devices, for example, all lack structural members which are so positioned that one could fixedly attach the clamp to them and then have the mast properly deployed for use in the improved dog leash. In order to compensate for this lack of clamp-friendly structural members, the universal mounting bracket is so designed that it can be readily attached to the respective frames of most personal carriers without modifying them.

The universal mounting bracket includes a pair of channel sections which are U-shaped in transverse cross-section but of unequal length. The flanges of each channel section, as well as the web of the shorter one, define cutouts which, when the bracket is mounted in use, may be occupied by parts of the personal carrier's frame, depending upon which one of several widely varying types of carriers is involved at the time. In addition, the web of each channel section defines a series of holes some of which are preferably square in shape. The square-shaped holes are alignable between the channel sections in such a way that at least one of the flanges of the shorter channel section nests within the longer one whenever the paired channel sections are held together in assembled relation by at least one pair of bolts and their respective nuts, each bolt being inserted into an opposing pair of alignable holes.

For most personal carriers onto which the universal mounting bracket is attached in use, the clamp is preferably mounted proximate with the aft end of the longer channel section. In such cases, at least one of the channel sections is fixedly attached to the carrier's frame; and both of them are deployed, facing each other and fastened together with bolts and hand tightened nuts threadedly engageable therewith. Extended rearwardly of the carrier, the aft end of the longer channel section provides a mount for the clamp spaced well back of the carrier's wheels. Spacing the tethered dog in the heel position is particularly important in the case of the Segway®; and this mount, spaced as it is behind and to the side of the carrier, helps to insure that the animal is kept from getting in front of its wheels.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In the drawings and indicated generally, by the reference number10is a personal carrier-mounted dog leash according to the present invention. With it, a person can simultaneously exercise a dog and ride any one of a wide variety of personal mobility devices (PMDs), such as a bicycle, wheelchair, power chair, Segway®, or adult tricycle, on which the leash10is installed and to which the dog is tethered.

As illustrated inFIG. 1, the leash10comprises a device with a clamp20, an open-ended, hollow mast11, and a flexible coupling14, juxtaposed between and attached to both the clamp and the mast, as well as a stiffener18which protrudes outwardly therefrom and terminates in a clip17. Included in the leash's mounting structure, the clamp20is used, depending upon the frame of the personal carrier on which the leash is deployed, either singularly or in combination with a universal mounting bracket40(FIGS. 5-8).

Permanently affixed with the use of glue or the like to the flexible coupling14, the mast11comprises a lightweight, rigid tube, preferably fabricated of 1.3 cm (½ inch) plastic pipe or made of steel or aluminum tubing. Alternately, the mast can be molded in such a way it is solid in transverse cross section.

Bent into an elongated, semi “S” shape, the tube defines spaced apart first and second bends13,15(FIG. 1). The bends13,15curve away from each other and are disposed along arcs which subtend angles of about 90 degrees and of about 15 degrees, respectively.

Force-fitted onto the clamp's ear-like member31, the flexible coupling14, in assembled relation with the mast11, flexibly connects the latter to the clamp20. The flexible coupling14is sufficiently flexible that it can be bent through an angle of about 180 degrees and, in combination with the mast11, allows a tethered dog freedom to move forward and aft about the ear-like member31. In the preferred embodiment, the flexible coupling14measures, by way of example, 15 cm (6 inches) in length and has an inner diameter of 2 cm (¾ inch).

Preferably, the mast's outer end, when the leash10is in use, can move over an area which extends at least 0.5 m (1¾ feet) forward and aft from the ear-like member31and up to 0.6 m (2 feet) in a direction parallel to the longitudinal centerline of the unflexed hose segment14, while at the same time keeping the mast's outer end away from the side of the personal carrier on which the leash is mounted. With this degree of flexibility in the position of the mast's outer end, certain advantages are realized: first, the tethered animal is kept at a safe distance from the personal carrier as it is being moved about; and second, he can trail behind the carrier as needed to avoid obstacles. But in the event the dog were to go around the opposite side of a tree or pole from that chosen by the carrier's occupant and an abrupt stoppage were to occur, the animal would still be protected from sudden jerks on the mast11because of the shock absorption capacity inherent in the flexible coupling between the mast and the clamp20.

Moored within the outer end of the mast11by a cord12anchored to the clamp20, the stiffener18preferably comprises the cord's leading segment16, a nylon sleeve36, and a semi-rigid plastic sheath19which encases both the leading segment and the sleeve (FIGS. 1-3). In the preferred embodiment, the stiffener18is built-up from a portion of a hollow core, braided polypropylene cord12or the like using a multi-step fabrication process.

In this fabrication process, the cord12is first inserted into the sleeve36and then threaded with it through an open loop defined by the clip17. Next, the end of the cord12, which, in the assembled leash10, is used for anchoring the stiffener18, is fed into the hollow core of the leading segment16through a slit33formed therein; and upon completion of this step, cord which remains within the leading segment's hollow core becomes a permanent filler35for core-filled segment32(FIG. 2). Once portions of the sleeve36and of the filler35have been coated with a hot melt glue-type adhesive34, and the sleeve positioned contiguous with the clip17so as to shield the cord should a tethered dog ever chew on the clip, the plastic sheath19is then shrink-fitted onto both the core-filled segment32and the sleeve, immobilizing the clip's base so that it cannot move from side to side independently of cord segment32.

Not only does the stiffener18thus fabricated immobilize the clip's base relative to the cord segment32but also the stiffener cannot flop about and make slapping noises. Indeed, the stiffener18is stiff enough that it retains whatever shape into which it has been bent or curved until the stiffener is acted upon by forces which are at least as great in magnitude as those exerted by a tethered dog in the process of lowering his head. Nevertheless, the stiffener18must be sufficiently flexible that it bends first, ahead of the flexible coupling14and its juncture with the mast11, so that the position of the mast's outer end, once set for a particular dog, can be maintained during normal use.

In the preferred embodiment, the stiffener18has an outer diameter of approximately 1 cm (⅜ inch); and the core-filled cord segment's outer diameter is approximately 0.8 cm ( 5/16 inch). The closeness of the fit between the stiffener18and the mast11is preferably not an interference-type fit; but when such is desired, one can increase the thickness of the plastic sheath19. The stiffener18is sufficiently long that it can protrude up to 25.4 cm (10 inches), when fully extended, from the mast's outer end. Tests have shown that when the dog leash10is mounted on a typical bicycle frame and used to tether a dog that stands, at his shoulder height, where most dogs stand, a stiffener18which can protrude as far as 25.4 cm (10 inches) keeps the animal in a safe position when he is running beside the bicycle.

Alternately, the stiffener's built-up span, which links the mast11to the clip17in use, can be fabricated by encasing the core-filled cord segment32, with or without adhesive34applied to portions of the sleeve36and of the filler35, in resilient polyurethane or the like.

In a further alternate embodiment, the stiffener's built-up span can be fabricated by encasing, either in the plastic sheath19or in resilient polyurethane or the like, the sleeve35and the cord's leading segment, which, prior to its being so encased, comprises a portion of the cord12disposed proximate with its mid-section. The leading segment itself is formed by threading the cord12first through the sleeve36and next, together with the sleeve, through the clip's open loop and then doubling the cord with its two free ends, back on itself. When fully extended distal from the sleeve36, each of the free ends is substantially longer than the sheath19. Once the leading segment, and more specifically, a portion of the cord which is disposed contiguous with the sleeve36, is actually encased to form the stiffener's built-up span, both of the cord's free ends remain, connected to it. Held within the mast11in the assembled dog leash10, either or both of the cord's free ends can be used to moor the stiffener18within the mast's outer end.

Preferably, the clip17is one which does not swivel, such as a carabineer-type fastener. With a swivel-free clip, the extent to which the stiffener18protrudes outwardly from the mast's outer end can be shortened by twisting the stiffener, while simultaneously twisting the cord12, and can then be kept in a shortened state by attaching the clip to the tethered dog's collar or harness. Alternately, a clip having a swivel base and a hook with a spring-loaded latch, such as the one employed in Leon's prior art leash and disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,013,840, can be utilized. With a swivel-based clip, however, shortening the extent to which the stiffener18protrudes outwardly from the mast's outer end requires an installer to disassemble the leash10, pull an additional length of the cord12out of the mast's inner end, and out of the flexible coupling14as well, cut excess cord from the cord's free end and tie it onto the clamp's ear-like member31, and then force-fit the latter with the cord tied thereto10into the hose segment. Unfortunately, this shortening process, entailing as it does the cutting of the cord's free end, limits the uses to which a particular leash10with a stiffener18, thus shortened, can be put. Alternately the stiffener can be anchored by securing the cords free end to the mast's inner wall or by affixing the stiffener to the masts outer end.

As illustrated inFIG. 3, the clamp's ear-like member31preferably defines a series of holes27,37,47through which an installer can lace the cord12, forming a loop therein between outer holes27,37, and then pull the cord's free end back through this loop, cinching the cord in place in the process. With the cord12so anchored to the ear-like member31, the dog remains tethered to the personal carrier even in the unlikely event the mast11were to separate from the flexible coupling14and/or the hose segment from the clamp20. Alternately, the cord's free end can be secured to the mast's inner wall.

In the preferred embodiment, the clamp20includes two mating elements21,22, one of which is angled and defines the ear-like member31. In addition, clamp element21preferably defines a first pair of holes28,38which are spaced apart from each other by approximately the same distance as are those in a second pair of holes29,39defined by clamp element22, with each hole28,38;29,39being sized to receive a bolt23(FIG. 3). Means for holding clamp elements21,22in assembled relation comprises a pair of bolts23and hand tightened nuts24, threadedly engageable therewith. Fabricated of aluminum or the like, the clamp elements21,22are preferably covered with slip-on plastic sleeves25,26, respectively. The sleeves25,26keep the clamp20, when it is mounted directly onto a bicycle's frame or the like, from marring or otherwise damaging its paint finish.

Installation of the leash10on a bicycle can be accomplished in a relatively few steps. First, clamp element22is placed inside its frame close to the bicycle's rear axle, with bolts23protruding outwardly (FIG. 4). Next, clamp element21, with its ear-like member31onto which the flexible coupling14has been previously force-fitted, is mounted onto the protruding bolts23and loosely fastened in place by hand tightening nuts24. Then, the clamp20is rotated, as needed, to position the mast's outer end at its proper working height, which is at about the shoulder height of the dog to be tethered. Alternately, the hose segment14, freed with the use of a quick-drying release agent such as alcohol, can be rotated about the ear-like member31and, once the mast's outer end is properly positioned, held immobile until the release agent dries, locking in the adjustment. Lastly, the nuts24are tightened.

In addition to those steps needed to mount the leash10on a bicycle's frame, installation of the leash on most other personal carriers requires a preparatory step in which an adaptor for the clamp20is first affixed to the carrier's frame. As illustrated inFIGS. 6-8and14-24, a first alternate embodiment of the leash, indicated generally by the reference number30, comprises a leash10in combination with the universal mounting bracket40. The universal mounting bracket includes a pair of channel sections41,42, each of which is U-shaped in transverse cross-section (FIGS. 9-11). In use, at least one of the channel sections41,42, with its longitudinal centerline disposed generally horizontally and its web oriented perpendicularly to the horizontal plane, is fixedly attached to the carrier's frame. Generally, whenever both channel sections41,42are incorporated into the adaptor on which the clamp20is mounted, the clamp's mating elements, in assembled relation with the bracket40, are pressed, respectively, against the web of the longer channel section41and against edges of its flanges disposed distal from the web and spaced apart therefrom.

In the leash30, both of the bracket's U-shaped channel sections41,42are incorporated into the adaptor; and the clamp20is mounted proximate with the aft end of the longer channel section41, so that the clamp can be spaced rearwardly of the carrier's wheels. As shown in the drawings, the channel sections41,42can be deployed together in three different basic configurations as follows:

1) Both channel sections form a clamp which presses against a structural member of the carrier's frame with the structural member being sandwiched between them (FIGS. 6-8and17);

2) One of the channel sections is first fixedly attached to the carrier's frame, and then the other channel section is affixed to the one already so attached (FIGS. 14-16and18-22); and

3) Both channel sections are clamped together and then attached as a unit to the carrier's frame (FIGS. 23-24).

Out of these three basic configurations, the one chosen for mounting the leash30onto a particular personal carrier must be compatible with the structural members present and their arrangement in the carrier's frame.

The channel members41,42, as illustrated in the drawings, are so designed that they can be deployed together in anyone of the three basic configurations and then redeployed in either one of the other two basic configurations merely by making changes in the number and/or type of mechanical fasteners, such as carriage bolts, U-bolts and their respective nuts, employed in mounting the leash30. That is, the channel members41,42preferably define the same holes, openings and cutouts, regardless of the configuration in which they are deployed.

As illustrated inFIG. 9, the web of each channel section41,42defines a series of preferably square-shaped holes, including holes61,63,65,67,79,81,83; and62,64,66,68, respectively, in which contiguous pairs of these holes are uniformly spaced apart along the length of each web and in which the holes are alignable between the channel sections. Means for retaining the channel sections41,42in assembled relation within the mounting structure for the leash30, regardless of the basic configuration in which they are deployed, includes mounting bolts45and hand tightened nuts48threadedly engageable therewith. Suitably sized, the head of each bolt45, when the latter is a carriage bolt, is held, during installation, in a fixed position within one of the square-shaped holes defined by either channel section41or42; and the respective shank of the bolt with its head so held is likewise held in a fixed position, so that an installer can easily turn the nuts48without turning the bolts.

In addition, the web of each channel section41,42preferably defines two pairs of holes which are disposed in a staggered array relative to the uniformly spaced apart, square-shaped holes. In the case of the shorter channel section42, the holes in this staggered array which are disposed proximate with the distal ends of the channel section are preferably oval-shaped openings to accommodate variations in the positions of two bolts when they are threadedly engaged with holes present in the original, unmodified frame of a particular carrier, so that these two bolts can be used, in accordance with one of the three basic configurations listed hereinabove, to affix the shorter channel section to the frame (FIGS. 9-11and19). Alternately, when U-bolt51is used to affix the shorter channel section to a carrier's frame, a pair of holes which are contiguous with each other in the staggered array are employed to receive the U-bolt's dual shanks (FIG. 16).

With the exception of one flange in the shorter channel section42which defines a single oval-shaped opening76and a cutout44proximate therewith, each of the flanges in the channel sections41,42defines a pair of spaced apart, oval-shaped openings71,73and77,75;72,74, respectively. Not only are paired openings71,73and77,75, which are disposed in opposing flanges of the longer channel section41, aligned with each other and alignable with paired openings72,74and opening76and cutout44in the shorter channel section's opposing flanges, but also the spacing between the two openings in each pair is such that they can simultaneously receive the dual shanks of U-bolt52when the latter is used to attach the channel sections41,42as a unit to the carrier's frame (FIGS. 23 and 24).

As is further illustrated inFIGS. 9-11, at least one flange of each channel section41,42defines a cutout. Preferably, when the channel sections41,42face each other and the flanges of one channel section overlap the other's, the two channel sections can be oriented in such a way that the cutouts49,46in their respective flanges are disposed in alignment with each other, thereby creating a space which, depending upon a particular carrier's frame, may be occupied by one of its structural members. If, in addition, the channel sections41,42can be clamped together so as to press against any structural member sandwiched between and occupying said space, then the two channel sections, clamped onto the structural member, can be used to mount the leash30on the carrier's frame (FIGS. 6-8).

Alternately, the flanges of the channel sections41,42can be oriented in such a way that when the longer channel section's flange defining cutout43overlaps the shorter channel section's flange defining cutout44, the cutouts43,44are in alignment with each other, thereby creating yet another space which may be occupied by a structural member of a carrier having a distinctly different frame but one which the two channel sections41,42can be clamped onto as well (FIG. 17). Further, a pair of cutouts54,56disposed at the distal ends of the shorter channel section's web can be used to keep the shorter channel section from rotating while it and the longer channel section41are clamped onto the structural member occupying the space created by aligned cutouts43,44.

In a second alternate embodiment of the leash, shown inFIGS. 12-13and indicated generally by the reference number50, the clamp20is mounted on the shorter U-shaped channel section42by itself; and the latter is affixed to the carrier's frame with the use of bolts53. As a consequence, the mounting structure for the leash50protrudes rearwardly of the personal carrier a much shorter distance than it does in the case of the leash30. With the leash50, which is preferably deployed on power chairs and the like which have an unusually short turning radius, the operator of such a power chair has substantially less chance of knocking the clamp's rearwardly protruding mounting structure into a wall, for example, as he turns the power chair about, than would be the case if the longer channel section41, which measures, by way of example, about 51 cm (20 inches) in length, were also incorporated into the leash50.

As an aid for the wheelchair-bound, and especially those persons who must rely at times on the assistance of a dog, the leash30offers many people a chance to increase their measure of independence as they attempt to perform a wide variety of tasks. Indeed, a dog tethered with the leash30to a manual wheelchair has been successfully trained to assist its occupant to move about, even when that individual, confined to such a wheelchair, would otherwise be virtually immobilized because of his having lost the use of one arm.

A very short learning curve is what a typical dog encounters as he is being trained to move about whether he is tethered by the leash30to his master's wheelchair or some other personal mobility device (PMD). Largely because the stiffener18and clip17ride attached to the dog's collar or harness without slapping or flopping around randomly so as to confuse the animal, the leash can transmit nonverbal communication free of extraneous signals between the PMD user and the tethered animal. The leash's capacity to transmit this enhanced nonverbal communication not only makes the dog's very short learning curve possible but also adds to the ease with which a PMD user can spend more time, as well as share a greater variety of tasks, with his or her dog.

Retrofitting most, if not all, manual wheelchairs to include the leash30can be accomplished without the use of tools. Rather, the universal mounting bracket's U-shaped channel sections41,42, once their respective cutouts49,46have been aligned with each other, are simply clamped onto one side of the wheelchair downwardly of its main axle support with the use of carriage bolts45and hand tightened nuts48. Not only are the bolts45and nuts48used to hold the bracket40on the wheelchair's frame but also they compensate for variations in the sizes and shapes of wheelchair frames which are generally made of a tubular structure and may be either circular or square in transverse cross-section. The specific sites, on a typical wheelchair, where the channel sections41,42can be so clamped, are those at which the frame bends upwardly or otherwise rigidly connects horizontally disposed structural members supporting the chair's front wheels to those supporting the back of its seat (FIGS. 6-8). Among the latter structural members is one against which the U-shaped channel sections' flanges are pressed when part of it, sandwiched between them, occupies space created by the aligned cutouts49,46.

Retrofitting a power chair to include the leash30can be accomplished in a variety of ways without modifying the chair's frame. In the case of the Yazzy Model No. 1143 power chair, the shorter channel section42is first fixedly attached to the chair's armrest support with the use of U-bolt51; and then the longer channel section41is affixed to the shorter channel section (FIGS. 14-16). Alternately, the bracket40can be clamped directly onto a square tube accessory mount (not shown) situated at the back of the chair's seat.

In the case of the Yazzy Model No. 1122 power chair, an open channel, provided by the original equipment manufacturer so that one can adjust the distance between the seat and footrest, can be used to fixedly attach the shorter channel section42to this power chair's frame. Specifically, this open channel defines a slot which is of the right size for receiving the heads of carriage bolts53onto which the shorter channel section42can be mounted, once the bolt heads have been slip-fitted into this slot and are being held in place there (FIGS. 12-13). Similarly, the leash30can be mounted on the frame of other power chairs by attaching one or both of the channel sections41,42thereto, in accordance with the approaches illustrated herein for the Yazzy Model Nos. 1122 and 1143.

In the case of a power chair for shopping, such as the Lark EZ Shopper™, the universal mounting bracket's channel sections41,42, once their respective cutouts43,44have been aligned with each other, are simply clamped over the chair's round formed seat frame (FIG. 17). The latter, only a part of which is actually clamped between the edges of the U-shaped channel sections' flanges, extends upwardly through the opening formed in the bracket40by the aligned cutouts43,44. Cutouts54,56defined by the shorter channel section's web, when lined up with a bend in the chair's bumper, can be used to keep the bracket40from rotating.

Retrofitting an off-road Segway® with a leash30so that one can enjoy rapid standing transportation while exercising a dog tethered to this personal mobility device can also be accomplished easily. The initial step entails attaching the shorter channel section42to one of its fenders using bolts45threadedly engageable with holes located on the original, unmodified fenders of the Segway® as supplied by its manufacturer. The longer channel section41is then affixed to the shorter one, completing the retrofit (FIGS. 18 and 19).

For the on-road Segway®, on the other hand, the longer channel section41is bolted directly to its transmission cover, at a location provided by Segway® for attaching miscellaneous accessories. Next the bracket40is closed by attaching the shorter channel section42to the aft end of section41; and the clamp20is mounted thereon (FIGS. 20-22). For both Segway® models, the bracket40serves a dual purpose of not only spacing the tethered dog in the heel position but also keeping him spaced to the side as well, so that he cannot get in front of the Segway® wheels.

The versatility of the bracket40is further evidenced by the way in which the leash30can be retrofitted onto an adult tricycle, such as the 24 inch wheel Sun Hand Trike or the Worksman Porta Trike 20, both of which have a similar support structure for their respective rear axles. In either case, the bracket's channel sections41,42are first clamped together and then attached, with the use of U-bolt52, as a unit to the tricycle's rear axle support structure (FIGS. 23-24).