Abstract:
An adjustable collar or harness ( 10 ) for pets that comprises a strap ( 11 ) provided with flaps fitted with reciprocal coupling means, and a ring ( 12 ) or similar designed to be attached to a spring clip of a lead, wherein the means for coupling the ends of the strap ( 11 ) consist of at least one toothed tab or tape ( 13 ) designed to couple with at least one spring pushbutton (or a lever) ( 17 ) which grips one or more teeth of the toothed tape ( 13 ) allowing the automatic blocking and release of the toothed tape, when appropriately operated.

Description:
SUBJECT OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    This invention refers to a collar or halter/harness for pets, mainly for dogs but also for other animals, which is constructed with technology that makes it possible to fit it very quickly and simply and at the same time allowing particular adjustment elements to be operated in order to alter the size as required. 
         [0002]    More specifically, this invention refers to a collar or harness which differs from common collars or harnesses in that it is made using a completely innovative blocking system since the closing method can be adjusted as required, avoiding the need to remove the collar from the animal in order to adjust it. 
         [0003]    The collar according to the invention focuses on the method of closing and blocking/opening and blocking, as well as on the adjustment of the collar around the animal&#39;s neck and on the mechanisms used for this purpose. 
         [0004]    This invention can be applied in the sector of accessories for pets, in particular in the sector of accessories such as collars, harnesses and leads for pets such as, for example, dogs, cats or the like. 
       BACKGROUND ART 
       [0005]    It is known that pets that need to be walked are usually accompanied using leads provided with a grip to be held by the person walking the pet, and a coupling element which is generally the spring clip type for attaching the lead to a collar or harness. 
         [0006]    It is also known that traditional collars comprise a strap with ends that can be joined by any suitable means to form a circle designed to be wrapped around the neck or a part of the body of a pet. 
         [0007]    The collar also comprises a ring so that it can be attached to a spring clip that can be fixed to the cord of a lead so that the person walking the pet can always keep the animal under complete and secure control when walking. 
         [0008]    The coupling means for the ends of the collar can consist of a buckle, a clip type fastening or even a bayonet type fastening, in any case such as to ensure safety against any abrupt movements of the pet, above all if the animal is large. The same applies to harnesses. 
         [0009]    One drawback encountered with traditional collars is represented by the fact that there are no models that cover all sizes of animals from when the animal is young to when it is an adult, without being completely or at least partially replaced. 
         [0010]    Another drawback concerns the fact that all the collars on the market have to be taken off the animal before they can be adjusted. 
         [0011]    Most products also require the use of both hands in order to remove them from the animal. 
         [0012]    Yet another problem with traditional collars concerns the fact since they have to adapt well to the animal without being too tight or too loose, they must be made in different sizes according to the size of the animal itself. 
         [0013]    An additional problem is that the purchaser often buys the collar without first testing it on the animal and at times finds that it does not match with the size of the animal. 
         [0014]    Yet again, from an industrial point of view, the fact of being obliged to have various sizes of collars is not economically advantageous, as this requires different production lines and more storage space for stocks, having to produce numerous series of collars in different lengths according to the size of the animal on which the collar will be fitted. 
       DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0015]    This invention proposes to provide an adjustable collar or harness for pets that can eliminate or significantly reduce the drawbacks described above. 
         [0016]    This invention also proposes to provide a collar or harness that can be easily fitted on pets of any size and adjusted without having to remove it from the animal&#39;s neck. 
         [0017]    An additional aim of this invention is to provide an adjustable collar or harness for pets that is easy to produce and thus with a limited production cost in order to be advantageous from a financial point of view. 
         [0018]    This is achieved by means of an adjustable collar or harness with the features described in the main claim. 
         [0019]    The dependent claims describe advantageous embodiments of the invention. 
         [0020]    The adjustable collar or harness for pets according to the invention therefore substantially consists of an upper strap fitted with a half-ring for attachment to a lead and with one of the two pairs of mechanisms such as spring pushbuttons or levers, and of a neck-band which can be padded, if required, fitted with the second pair of toothed tape type mechanisms. 
         [0021]    In a similar way to the collar, in the case of a harness the mechanisms double in number. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0022]    Other features and advantages of the invention will become evident on reading the following description of one embodiment of the invention, given as a non-binding example, together with the accompanying drawings in which: 
           [0023]      FIG. 1  represents a schematic view of a collar according to the invention seen from the front; 
           [0024]      FIG. 2  is a schematic view of the collar according to the invention seen from the side; 
           [0025]      FIG. 3  shows the collar in axonometric prospective; 
           [0026]      FIG. 4  is a schematic view of the collar according to the invention seen from above; 
           [0027]      FIGS. 5 and 6  show schematic views of the toothed tab type coupling system closed by a spring hook or lever; 
           [0028]      FIGS. 7 to 10  show schematic views of a harness according to the invention, seen respectively from the front, the side, above and in axonometric prospective. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF ONE EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION 
       [0029]    With reference to the accompanying drawings, the reference number  10  indicates a collar in general, in the case in question an adjustable collar comprising single or double components according to more or less adjustment possibilities. 
         [0030]    Although the collar can be made with single components, we will describe one with double components, for the sake of completeness, and in this case it consists of an upper strap  11  fitted with a half-ring  12  for attachment to a lead and with one of the two pairs of mechanisms  13  and  14 , and a neck-band  15 , with optional padding  16 , fitted with the second pair of mechanisms  17  and  18 . 
         [0031]    The first of the two pairs of mechanisms, those indicated with  13  and  14 , consists of toothed tapes or tabs, while the second pair of mechanisms  17  and  18  consists of spring pushbuttons or levers. 
         [0032]    The upper strap  11  is attached to the lower padded strap  15  simply by inserting the toothed tabs  13  and  14  in the spring pushbuttons or levers  17  and  18 . 
         [0033]    The two coupling sectors are more or less symmetrical with respect to the center line of the collar, even though this condition is not strictly necessary since the mechanical function is not altered if the parts are arranged asymmetrically. 
         [0034]    In addition, the toothed tabs or tapes can be fitted either on the first semicircular strap  11  or on the second strap  15 , and vice versa for the pushbuttons: functioning is in any case guaranteed. 
         [0035]    To fasten the collar around the animal&#39;s neck, it is sufficient to insert the toothed tab  13  and  14  in the spring pushbuttons or levers  17  and  18  as far as the required position: the mechanism is automatically blocked and the collar cannot be loosened without pressing the relative pushbutton. 
         [0036]    As regards the release method, it is sufficient to insert the index finger between the collar and the animal&#39;s neck and use the thumb to press the respective pushbutton or lever  17  and  18 , or to apply pressure with two fingers, one against the other, to release the tab and pull in the release direction. 
         [0037]    According to another embodiment, the collar can also be provided with pockets to contain the tabs or tapes. 
         [0038]    These pockets have an esthetic function and also protect the tape and the animal, as they prevent the collar or one of its protruding parts from accidentally catching on obstacles such as branches, fences or the like. 
         [0039]    According to yet another embodiment, the collar can also be provided with elements that protect or block the pushbutton/s (or lever) that prevent any accidental opening. 
         [0040]    As can be noted, and as already mentioned, this collar can be adjusted while it is being worn by the animal, and the mechanism allows the collar to be removed using just one hand: it is sufficient to press the release button and pull to achieve complete opening. 
         [0041]    The collar according to the invention also allows replacement of just the front strap, containing the padding, so as to cover various sizes, from “small” to “extralarge”, without having to replace the item completely when the animal grows a size larger. 
         [0042]    Finally, it should be noted that the presence of two pairs of mechanisms also allows double adjustment of the neck-band thus ensuring centering of the padding on the front part of the animal&#39;s neck: this is in fact the area must subject to traction during use of the collar attached to a lead. 
         [0043]      FIGS. 7 to 10  show a similar harness-type solution, and in this case the coupling points are doubled since the harness can be fastened either in the collar or neck-band area, or in the chest or under-belly area. 
         [0044]    According to this solution, the two straps  19  and  20  are fixed to the upper strap  21  (on which the half-ring  12  is fitted) at the four coupling points and each of these is fitted with at least a first toothed tab mechanism  13  and at least a second spring pushbutton or lever mechanism  17 . 
         [0045]    There can thus be either one or more coupling points for each neck or under-belly strap. 
         [0046]    The invention is described above with reference to a preferred embodiment. It is nevertheless clear that the invention is susceptible to numerous variations that lie within the framework of technical equivalents.