Patent Publication Number: US-2010116857-A1

Title: Animal lead handle device

Description:
The invention relates to an animal lead handle device, typically for use with dogs. 
     BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
     When taking an animal, such as dog, for a walk it is the owners responsibility for the dog owner to pick up any droppings/excrement deposited by the animal. It is known to use pooper scooper devices, plastic bags or other such means to pick up the animals droppings/excrement. Some of these have been moderately successful, however they are either cumbersome or separate items to which the owner can either deliberately or unintentionally not take with them. There have been devices that can be attached to leads or to handles of leads, but again these are either cumbersome to use and/or rely on the user to attach theses devices to lead and/or handle. 
     Also another problem surrounds the hygienic aspect of picking and/or handling animal droppings/excrement. Sanitisers are known, however these are separate items, that if remembered to be taken, are usually kept in the pocket of the owner and as such are usually overlooked once finished tending to the animal droppings/excrement. 
     OBJECT OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the invention to provide an animal lead handle device, typically for use with dogs, that ameliorates some of the disadvantages and limitations of the known art or at least provide the public with a useful choice. 
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     In a first aspect the invention resides in an animal lead handle device, typically for use with dogs, having handle with a hand grip portion connected to a lead attachment portion, wherein the hand grip portion has a first compartment dimensioned and adapted to accommodate a sanitiser dispensing means and the lead attachment portion has a lead attachment means and a second compartment dimensioned and adapted to accommodate a roll of plastics bags, wherein in use plastic bags are adapted to be dispensed individually, one at a time from the second compartment to pick animal excrement and the sanitiser dispensing means situated in the first compartment is adapted to allow sanitiser to be dispensed to sanitise a user hands after picking up the animal excrement. 
     Preferably, the compartments extend and lie in the same plane as one another. 
     Preferably, the compartments are spaced a distance from one another. 
     Preferably, each compartment has a first opening that is dimensioned and adapted to allow the sanitiser dispensing means and roll of plastic bag can be inserted into the respective compartment. 
     Preferably, there is an opening situated between the hand grip portion and the lead attachment portion such that the opening is dimensioned and adapted to allow the fingers of a users hand into the opening so as to assist in the gripping of the hand grip portion. 
     Preferably, the circumference of the opening on hand grip portion side of the opening is undulated such that the undulations are adapted to correspond to the fingers of a users in order to provide an ergonomic and comfort gripping of the hand grip portion. 
     Preferably, the second compartment has a bag dispensing opening positioned and situated at an end opposite of the first opening in which the roll of plastic bags is inserted, wherein the bag dispensing opening is of a size suitable to allow only a plastic bag to be pulled there through one at a time from the roll of plastic bags and subsequently detached therefrom. 
     Preferably, the lead attachment means is an aperture situated in a forward position on the lead attachment portion relative to the hand grip portion, wherein the aperture is adapted to allow an fastening means on a lead to be releasably attached to the lead attachment portion. 
     Preferably, the fastening means is a slip ring, clip, clasp, latch or other suitable means capable of being fasten to a dog lead and inserted and/or attached through the aperture on the lead attachment portion. 
     Preferably, the lead attachment portion has a bag attachment means upon which a used plastic bag can be releasably attached thereto. 
     Preferably, the bag attachment means is positioned and situated proximate the lead attachment means. 
     Preferably, the handle has closure means adapted to at least close the first opening of the second compartment in order to releasably retain the roll of plastic within the second compartment. 
     Preferably, the closure means is rotatably attached to the handle about a pivot or hinge. 
     Preferably, the closure means is adapted to retain the sanitiser dispensing means in the first compartment. 
     Preferably, the closure means retains the sanitiser dispensing means in the first compartment by a distal end of the closure means pressing and holding the sanitiser dispensing means in place when the closure is a closed position. 
     Preferably, the closure means is held in a closed position by a snap fit action with respect to the body of the handle. 
     Preferably, the closure means is held in a closed position respect to the body of the handle by suitable known fastening means, such clasping means, hook loop fasteners, latching means, snap fit or the like. 
     Preferably, the handle is D shaped, wherein the first compartment is housed longitudinally in the straight part of the D and the second compartment is housed longitudinally in the curved part of the D. 
     Preferably, the handle and/or the closure includes an LED light with on/off flashing mode, a small voice recorder capable of recording and reproducing a dogs owners call/command whistle, a reward clicker and/or an alarm signal. 
     In a second aspect the invention resides in a method using an animal lead handle having a having handle with a hand grip portion connected to a lead attachment portion, wherein the hand grip portion has a first compartment dimensioned and adapted to accommodate a sanitiser dispensing means and the lead attachment portion has a lead attachment means and a second compartment dimensioned and adapted to accommodate a roll of plastics bags; wherein the method includes releasing inserting the roll of plastic bags into the second compartment therein such that a portion of one plastic bag extends outward through an opening in the second compartment and placing the sanitiser dispensing means in the first compartment  11 , attaching an animal lead to the handle and to an animal, then when the animal has passed their bowels a plastic bag is pulled from the second compartment and the excrement picked up and tied off in the usual manner, attaching the used bag to the handle, activating the sanitiser dispensing means in order sanitise the users hands. 
     A third aspect of the invention resides in an excrement pickup and sanitary animal lead handle device typically for use with dogs, having handle with a hand grip portion connected to a lead attachment portion, wherein the hand grip portion has a first compartment dimensioned and adapted to accommodate a sanitiser dispensing means and the lead attachment portion has a lead attachment means and a second compartment dimensioned and adapted to accommodate a roll of plastics bags, wherein in use plastic bags are adapted to be dispensed individually, one at a time from the second compartment to pick animal excrement and the sanitiser dispensing means situated in the first compartment is adapted to allow sanitiser to be dispensed to sanitise a user hands after picking up the animal excrement. 
     In other aspects herein described 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION 
       The invention will now be described, by way of example only, by reference to the accompanying drawings: 
         FIG. 1  is a cut-away side view of the animal lead handle device in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional top view of the animal lead handle device as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a side view of the animal lead handle device in an open state in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
     The following description will describe the invention in relation to preferred embodiments of the invention, namely an animal lead handle device. The invention is in no way limited to these preferred embodiments as they are purely to exemplify the invention only and that possible variations and modifications would be readily apparent without departing from the scope of the invention. 
       FIG. 1  shows a cut-way side view of the animal lead handle device  1  including a handle portion  14  having-two compartments  11  &amp;  13  and a hand gripping aperture  13 . The first  11  of the two compartments is dimensioned to accommodate a sanitiser/desordiser  20  and the second compartment  12  is dimensioned a roll  21  of detachable plastic bags, preferably plastics bags suitable for picking up animal excrement. The second compartment  12  has a closable opening  23  at one end and an aperture  15  at the opposite end that is adapted to allow plastic bags held in the compartment  12  to be dispensed via aperture  15  one at a time, preferably by pulling bag portion  22  through the aperture  15 . 
     The handle portion is preferably D shaped and one compartment is housed longitudinally in the straight part of the D and the other compartment is housed longitudinally in the curved part of the D. 
     The handle portion has a used bag holding portion  16 , preferably a hook, such that a used plastic bag can be suspended until such time it can be disposed in a rubbish bin or the like. Also the handle portion  14  has an aperture  17  for accommodating and attaching a ring  30  from which a lead/leash  31  can be attached such that an animal is able to be controlled and lead in the usual manner. 
       FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional top view of the device shown in  FIG. 1  that clearly shows the position of the compartments relative to one another. In the preferred use position the sanitiser/deodorising compartment  11  is spaced from the plastic bag compartment  12  and distal from the leash attachment aperture. 
       FIG. 3  shows the invention having a closure  17 , in an open position, to allow access to and/or insert plastic bags in the compartment  12  (see  FIG. 1 ). The closure  17  is pivotally mounted to the handle portion  14  via pivot pin  19 , or other type hinge type arrangement, such that in a closed state the closure  17  fully closes the compartment opening  23  in order to retain the roll of plastic bags  21  in compartment  12 . 
     The handle portion  14  along an edge surrounding the hand gripping aperture  13  is undulated  18  and dimensioned to accommodate the fingers of user to assist in the ergonomic comfort and holding of the animal lead handle device. 
     The animal lead handle device will now be described in use as a dog lead handle device. The handle  1  is designed to be attached to a standard dogs lead  31  via ring  30  and lead attachment point aperture  17 . The handle has two compartments  11  &amp;  12 , one  11  incorporated into the handle grip, containing a spray sanitiser, and the other compartment  12 , located between the lead attachment point, housing plastic bags. Compartment  12  has the ability via aperture  15  to access one bag at a time from within the compartment  12 . The handle has a used bag attachment  16  situated in a forward underside position of the handle from which used bags are able to attached. A closure  17  releasably retains the bags within the compartment  12 . There is space on the handle and the closure for mounting an LED light with on/off flashing mode and a small voice recorder capable of recording and reproducing a dogs owners call/command whistle or reward clicker as well as an alarm signal. 
     In use the dog owner releases the closure  17  in order to open and allow access to compartment  12  to load a roll of bags therein such that a portion of one plastic bag extends outward through the aperture  15 . The sanitiser is placed in compartment  11 . The handle device is attached to a lead and subsequently-once the lead is attached to a dog, the dog is able to be taken for a walk. When a dog has passed their bowels the excrement is able to picked up the owner using a plastic bag from the handle device. The owner dispenses such a bag by pulling a bag from the aperture  15  and once a complete bag has passed through the aperture  15  and a portion of the next bag as well, the complete bag is separated from the roll of plastic bags. The separated plastic bag is then used to pick up the excrement left by the dog and tied off in the usual manner. The used bag is then suspended on attachment  16  and disposed of later. Once the excrement has been picked up and bag suspended on attachment  16 , the owner then can use the sanitiser  20  to sanitise their hands. The sanitiser  20  is situated in compartment  11  such that it is does not need to be taken from compartment  11  in order to be used, the user can activate the spray action of the sanitiser  20  whilst it is within compartment  11 . 
     The animal lead handle devices allows for comfortable control of an animal on the lead, allows for easy clean up and carrying of animal droppings and ability to sanitise the hands of a user after picking up the animal droppings. 
     Variations 
     Throughout the description of this specification, the word “comprise” and variations of that word such as “comprising” and “comprises”, are not intended to exclude other additives, components, integers or steps. 
     It will of course be realised that while the foregoing has been given by way of illustrative example of this invention, all such and other modifications and variations thereto as would be apparent to persons skilled in the art are deemed to fall within the broad scope and ambit of this invention as claimed in the appended claims.