Abstract:
The invention is a multi-compartmented dog leash handle assembly. The handle assembly has a compartment capable of carrying keys, money and/or plastic waste bags. The handle also has provisions for the easy transport of dog food and water. The handle also has a mechanism for attaching to the loop handle of a typical dog leash. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of Invention  
         [0002]     This invention pertains particularly to a dog leash handle with compartments for storage, a food dish and a water dish.  
         [0003]     2. Background Information  
         [0004]     The increasing popularity of dogs in urban population centers effectively require pet owners to walk the pets in public places. Walking the dog is often the only exercise the pet and the owner get on a daily basis. The owner must carry a number of supplies during these walks to satisfy their needs as well as the needs of the dog and society. Pet owners typically carry plastic waste disposal bags, keys, money, the dog leash and pet supplies such as water and food. This forces the pet owner to carefully organize these supplies prior to departure and to juggle them during the walk.  
         [0005]     Local ordinances often require that pet owners pick up the solid waste left by their dog. Pet owners typically use plastic bags to pick up the waste. The pet owner must remember to carry an ample supply of bags when they begin their walk. The ease, convenience and economy with which the litter may be handled in a clean and sanitary manner directly affects the willingness of pet owners to retrieve and properly dispose of their pet&#39;s waste. Disposal of the bagged waste adds another significant item to those already carried by the owner.  
         [0006]     Many owners would like to provide their dogs with some food and water particularly during longer walks or hiking. The owner must carry the food and water and the dishes necessary for dispensing the food.  
         [0007]     Athletic ware and other comfortable walking clothes often have no reliable way to carry loose items such as money or keys. This forces the owner to carry these items in their hands. Carrying additional items such as lip balm, a whistle and/or pepper spray greatly increases the burden on the owner.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0008]     The invention is a multi-compartmented dog leash handle assembly. The handle assembly has a compartment capable of carrying keys, money and/or plastic waste bags. The handle also has provisions for the easy transport of dog food and water. The handle also has a mechanism for attaching to the loop handle of a typical dog leash.  
         [0009]     Plastic waste disposal bags can be stored in a compartment within a hollow portion in the handle assembly. The compartment can be filled with plastic bags detachably connected end to end or individual bags such as plastic grocery bags.  
         [0010]     A water dish and a food dish are removably attached to the outer surface of the casing of the handle assembly. Either or both dishes are held fast until released. The container also functions as serving dish. The open is large enough to allow the dog easy access and permit quick clean up. The contents of the container are held in place by a removable lid.  
         [0011]     Keys and/or money and other items can be carried in the compartment.  
         [0012]     The owner can now carry several items in the same hand as the leash. The many storage compartments and containers provide the owner with a reliable transportation device freeing them from the need to juggle several items during their walk.  
         [0013]     The foregoing has outlined the more pertinent and important features of the present invention. Additional features of the present invention will be described hereinafter, which form the subject of the claims. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the disclosed specific embodiment might be readily utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other structures and methods for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention. It also should be realized by those skilled in the art that such equivalent constructions and methods do not depart from the spirit and scope of the inventions as set forth in the appended claims.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0014]     The invention will be more fully understood by reference to the following drawings that are for illustrative purposes only:  
         [0015]      FIG. 1  is a side view of an embodiment;  
         [0016]      FIG. 2  is a front view of a second embodiment;  
         [0017]      FIG. 3  is a side view of a second embodiment;  
         [0018]      FIG. 4  is a front view of a third embodiment;  
         [0019]      FIG. 5  is a side view of a third embodiment;  
         [0020]      FIG. 6  is a side view of a container; and  
         [0021]      FIG. 7  is a plan view of a third embodiment.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0022]     A multi-compartmented dog leash handle assembly is disclosed in  FIG. 1  which may be attached to a conventional dog leash. The handle assembly contains inside compartments suitable for carrying keys, money and/or plastic waste disposal bags. The handle assembly has containers intended for the easy transport of dog food and water. The handle also has a mechanism for attaching to the loop handle of a typical dog leash. Alternatively, in another preferred embodiment (not shown), the leash, the housing with the removably attached containers and the handle are all one integrated unit, including an optional, additional storage compartment within the hollow handle.  
         [0023]      FIG. 1  depicts a side view of an embodiment of the assembly  10  without the food/water container attached. At least one compartment  22  is provided which covers the leash attachment mechanism  26 . In the preferred embodiment there are two outside compartments on each side of the handle assembly. The mechanism  26  has a vertically aligned fixed pin  34  mounted in the lower front portion of the compartment  22 . A spring-loaded pin  38  abuts  42  the top end of the fixed pin  34 . The centerline of the spring-loaded pin  38  and the fixed pin  34  coincide. The leash assembly may be installed by inserting the loop handle (not shown) of a conventional leash (which is usually held by the dog owner). The loop is inserted through the opening in the forward facing end  46  of the first compartment  22 , retracting the spring-loaded pin  38  enough to allow the loop handle to pass under it and then fully extending the spring-loaded pin  38  to abut against the fixed pin  34  to retain the loop handle.  
         [0024]     In the preferred embodiment, the hollow grip  14  defines an interior storage compartment  16 . The hollow grip  14  is attached to the back end of the first compartment  22  and is suitable for storing keys, money and/or plastic waste disposal bags. The compartment can be filled with plastic bags detachably connected end to end or individual bags such as grocery bags. A lid  18 , located at the base of the grip  14  or on its side or at its top, affords easy entry to the storage compartment  16 .  
         [0025]     The outer surface of the first compartment  22  has an acruate retaining flange  50 . Each container has a perimeter lip on the rim of the dish. Each container has an air and watertight removable lid. A rotating latch  54  is mounted on the top of the first compartment  22  to secure the container to the compartment  22 . The attachment process includes sliding the lip under the edge of the flange  50  and rotating the latch  54  to secure the container in place. The container also functions as serving dish. The opening of the container is large enough to allow the dog easy access and to permit quick clean up.  
         [0026]      FIGS. 2 and 3  depict another embodiment of the device  110 . The compartment  122  covers the leash attachment mechanism  126 . The mechanism  126  has a vertically aligned fixed pin  134  mounted in the lower front portion of the compartment  122 . A spring-loaded pin  138  abuts  142  the top end of the fixed pin  134 . The centerline of the spring-loaded pin  138  and the fixed pin  134  coincide. Leash installation consists of inserting the loop handle of a typical leash through the opening in the forward facing end  146  of the first compartment  122 , retracting the spring-loaded pin  138  enough to allow the loop handle to pass under it and then fully extending the spring-loaded pin  138  to abut against the fixed pin  134  to retain the loop handle.  
         [0027]     In this embodiment, the hollow grip  114  defines the storage compartment  116 . Attached to the back end of the first compartment  122 , the hollow grip  114  is suitable for storing keys, money and/or plastic waste disposal bags. The compartment can be filled with plastic bags detachably connected end to end or individual bags such as grocery bags. A lid  118 , located at the base of the grip  114  or on its side or at its top, affords easy entry to the storage compartment  116  and secures the items placed inside.  
         [0028]     The outer surface of the first compartment  122  has an acruate or semi-circular shaped retaining flange  150 . Each container  152  has a perimeter lip  156  formed outward from the rim of the dish  160 . Each container  152  has an air and watertight removable lid. Mounted on the top of the first compartment  122  is a rotating latch  154 . When attached to the handle assembly  110 , the containers  152  sandwich the first compartment  122 . The attachment process includes sliding the lip  156  under the edge of the flange  150  and rotating the latch  154  to secure the container  152  in place. The container  152  also functions as serving dish. The opening is large enough to allow the dog easy access and permit quick clean up.  
         [0029]      FIGS. 4, 5 ,  6  and  7  depict another embodiment of the device  210  which includes a hole  242  to receive and secure the spring-loaded  238  pin after it is inserted through the loop handle of the leash. The first compartment  222  covers the leash attachment mechanism  226 . The mechanism  226  has a vertically aligned spring-loaded pin  238 . The end of the spring-loaded pin  238  engages a receiver hole when fully extended. The centerline of the receiver hole  242  and the centerline of the spring-loaded pin  238  coincide. Installation of the leash assembly of the present invention includes inserting the loop handle of a typical leash through the opening in the forward facing end  246  of the first compartment  222 , retracting the spring-loaded pin  238  enough to allow the loop handle to pass under it and then fully extending the spring-loaded pin  238  back into the receiver hole  242  to retain the loop handle.  
         [0030]     In the preferred embodiment, the hollow grip  214  and the back end of the first compartment  222  define a contiguous storage compartment  216 . A partition  218  separates the storage compartment  216  from the leash attachment mechanism  226 . Attached to the back end of the first compartment  222 , the storage compartment  216  is suitable for storing keys, money and/or plastic waste disposal bags. The compartment  216  can be filled with plastic bags detachably connected end to end or individual bags such as grocery bags. A lid  218 , located at the base of the grip or on its side or at its top  214 , affords easy entry to the storage compartment  216 .  
         [0031]     The outer surface of the first compartment  222  has a semi-circle shaped retaining flange  250 . Each container  252  has a perimeter lip  256  extending outward from the rim of the dish  260 . Each container  252  has an air and watertight removable lid  264 . Mounted on the top of the first compartment  222  is a rotating latch  254 . When attached to the handle assembly  210 , the containers  252  sandwich the first compartment  222 . The attachment process includes sliding the lip  256  under the edge of the flange  250  and rotating the latch  254  to secure the container  252  in place. The container  252  also functions as serving dish. The opening is large enough to allow the dog easy access and permit quick clean up.  
         [0032]     A retractable leash mechanism can replace leash attachment mechanism in the first compartment of each embodiment. The retractable leash mechanism has a biased reel installed with its axel perpendicular to the outer surface of the first compartment at the container attachment point. The attached leash can extend or retract relative to the first compartment.  
         [0033]     The storage compartment and/or the lid can be transparent in each embodiment. This would allow an internal view of the contents of the storage compartment.  
         [0034]     The present disclosure includes that contained in the present claims as well as that of the foregoing description. Although this invention has been described in its preferred forms with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure of the preferred forms has been made only by way of example and numerous changes in the details of construction and combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention should be determined not only by the embodiments illustrated, but by the appended claims and their legal equivalents.