Patent Publication Number: US-2006000194-A1

Title: Electronic animal training device support system

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention relates generally to collar-mounted electronic animal stimulation and/or sensing devices, and more particularly to improved collars for mounting animal training devices on the necks of animals, such as horses. The invention also relates generally to techniques for substantially reducing or eliminating equine “vices”, such as cribbing behavior of a horse.  
      The closest prior art is believed to be the assignee&#39;s VICEBREAKER H1 Equine Remote Trainer product including a collar-supported receiver unit  4  mounted as shown in  FIG. 1B .  
      In the prior art system of mounting the electronic receiver unit  4  as shown in  FIG. 1B , a leather collar strap  5  is used and extends around the horse&#39;s neck. In the embodiment of the present invention chosen for illustration as shown in  FIG. 1A , a leather collar strap  5  extends through loops  7  of receiver unit  4  and attaches to an elastic strap section  12  in manner to be described and extends around the neck of the horse to support receiver unit  4  generally as illustrated in  FIG. 2 . Equine remote trainer  1  includes a remote transmitter  2  including two switch buttons  2 A and  2 B that can be depressed by a user. One of the switch buttons, when depressed, remotely causes an audible signal to be produced by a collar-supported electronic receiver unit  4  mounted on the neck of a horse. The other switch button, when depressed, remotely causes an aversive electronic stimulus to be produced between the two electrodes  6  of receiver unit  4 . A rotary switch  2 C on transmitter unit  2  can be rotated by the user to select the desired intensity of the aversive stimulus to be applied to skin on the side of the neck of the horse through electrodes  6 . Transmitter  2  and receiver unit  4  are generally as described in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 6,549,133, entitled “Remote Transmitter and Method”, issued to Duncan et al. on Apr. 15, 2003. The equine remote trainer  1  is used for reducing or eliminating equine “vices” such as cribbing behavior by horses. (The system as described in above mentioned U.S. Pat. No. 6,549,133 is utilized primarily for training dogs, but the transmitter and receiver unit described therein, with minor modification to the range of aversive stimulus intensity levels produced by the receiver unit, are used in the assignee&#39;s above-mentioned prior art VICEBREAKER H1.)  
      The above mentioned equine cribbing behavior is a fairly common but highly undesirable equine activity that is harmful to the horse and also to the stable property and therefore usually needs to be corrected. The causes of such behavior may include boredom, learned behavior and genetics. U.S. Pat. No. 5,722,352 (Leatherman) describes cribbing behavior, and an electronic device for reducing cribbing behavior.  
      Collars used to support the receiver units of prior electronic animal training systems both for training dogs and for training horses generally are not made of elastic material. One reason for this is that elastic material generally is not nearly as durable as non-elastic material, and this has been an important consideration in the design of prior electronic unit support collars because dogs, especially hunting dogs which are trained with electronic training devices, generally are very rough on most electronic dog training devices. A receiver collar composed of elastic material would tend to deteriorate more quickly as are result of becoming wet, which happens frequently during training of hunting dogs. The elastic strap material generally would tend to become brittle when subjected to low temperatures, and this would tend to make elastic collar straps that subjected to low temperatures more subject to partial or complete breakage.  
      Various straps composed of sections of a combination of leather and elastic material have been used as a cinch straps for saddles and for horse reins. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,132,055, 4,434,604, 4,709,539, 6,349,527 and 6,571,541 are believed to be generally indicative of the state of the art for strap material including both elastic and non-elastic sections for use in animal training. However, it is believed that the combination of sections of elastic material and non-elastic material has never been used is a collar for supporting electronic stimulation and/or sensing devices on animals of any kind.  
      The present assignee is aware that a problem of its above-mentioned prior VICEBREAKER H1 equine remote trainer product of  FIG. 1B  is that the collar-mounted receiver unit  4  tends to rotate circumferentially around the horse&#39;s neck as a result of large (but normal) changes in the circumference and cross-sectional shape of a horse&#39;s neck that occur during various normal activities and also during cribbing activity, causing the leather collar  5  of receiver unit  4  to slide downward along the side of the horse&#39;s neck. This prevents the stimulus electrodes  6  from making adequate electrical contact to the horse&#39;s neck and therefore often prevents effective use of equine remote trainer  1 .  
      When a horse having the prior VICEBREAKER H1 device with the all-leather collar strap  5  lowers its head enough to feed, the circumference of the horse&#39;s neck decreases to the point that the leather collar strap  5  becomes so loose that the receiver unit  4  sometimes “flips over” 180 degrees (thereby longitudinally twisting the leather collar strap  5 ). Usually, a horse indulges in cribbing activity with its head raised so as to be almost horizontal, and usually bites on fence rails and the like with its head in that raised position.  
      The prior VICEBREAKER devices usually are mounted on a horse&#39;s neck with its head in a resting or “neutral” position, and the non-elastic collar strap  5  almost always becomes loose or nearly loose when the horse&#39;s head is at a low feeding level and/or during cribbing behavior. Also, if the non-elastic collar strap  5  is tight enough to be snug when the horse&#39;s head is at a low feeding level or during cribbing, then when the horse raises its head to a neutral or high level the tension in the leather collar is enough or nearly enough to cause the buckle tongue member extending through the adjustment holes of the leather strap to tear the leather; also, the discomfort level to the horse might be very high and has been known to impair normal breathing.  
      Thus, there is an unmet need for an improved collar-mounted electronic animal stimulation and/or sensing device which avoids problems associated with normal changes in the circumference and/or shape of the neck of an animal during various activities.  
      There also is an unmet need for an improved collar-mounted equine stimulation and/or sensing device which avoids problems with stability of a collar-mounted aversive stimulus receiver and/or sensor unit associated with changes in the circumference or shape of the neck of a horse during various activities, including cribbing activities.  
      There also is an unmet need for an improved collar-mounted dog stimulation and/or sensing device which avoids problems with stability of a collar-mounted aversive stimulus receiver and/or sensor unit associated with changes in the circumference or shape of the dog&#39;s neck during normal activity.  
     OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION  
      Accordingly, is an object of the invention to provide an improved collar-mounted electronic animal stimulation and/or sensing device which avoids problems associated with changes in the circumference or shape of the neck of an animal during various activities.  
      It is another object of the invention to provide an improved collar-mounted electronic animal stimulation and/or sensing device which maintains adequate or constant pressure of stimulus electrodes throughout the range of normal changes in the circumference or shape of the neck of an animal during various activities.  
      It is another object of the invention to provide an improved collar-mounted equine training device which avoids problems with the stability of prior collar-mounted stimulation and/or sensing devices associated with normal changes in the circumference or shape of the neck of a horse during various activities, including cribbing activities.  
      It is another object of the invention to provide an improved collar-mounted dog training device which avoids problems with the stability of a collar-mounted stimulation and/or sensing unit associated with changes in the circumference or shape of the dog&#39;s neck due to normal activity.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      Briefly described in the embodiment chosen for illustration, the animal training apparatus is a horse training apparatus including an electronic stimulus device having first and second stimulus electrodes for electrically contacting skin in an area on the side of a horse&#39;s neck. A partially elastic collar supports the electronic stimulus device so as to press conductive tips of the first and second stimulus electrodes against the skin. The partially elastic collar includes a non-elastic strap section having a free first end and a second end and an elastic strap section having a first end attached to the second end of the non-elastic strap section and a second end attached to a buckle. The elastic strap section stretches to accommodate changes in the circumference or shape of the horse&#39;s neck so as to maintain at least a minimum tensile force in the collar as the circumference of the horse&#39;s neck varies from a minimum to a maximum value as result of normal movement of horse&#39;s head to thereby hold the electronic stimulus device so as maintain pressure of the conductive tips against the skin.  
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      The present invention may more readily be described by reference to the accompanying drawings in which:  
       FIG. 1A  is a perspective view of an electronic animal training device supported in accordance with the teachings of the present invention.  
       FIG. 1B  a perspective view showing the receiver of  FIG. 1A  properly mounted on a horse by means of a prior art collar.  
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the receiver of the equine remote trainer product of the present invention properly mounted on a horse by means of an improved collar of the present invention.  
       FIG. 3A  is a perspective view of the composite leather and elastic mounting collar of the equine remote trainer shown in  FIG. 2 .  
       FIG. 3B  is an outer plan view of the composite leather and elastic mounting collar of the equine remote trainer shown in  FIG. 2 .  
       FIG. 3C  is a edge view of the composite leather and elastic mounting collar of the equine remote trainer shown in  FIG. 2 .  
       FIG. 3D  is an inner plan view of the composite leather and elastic mounting collar of the equine remote trainer shown in  FIG. 2 .  
       FIG. 4  is a perspective you of another embodiment of invention including multiple elastic sections and multiple leather sections.  
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
      Referring to  FIG. 2 , the same receiver unit  4  shown in the above described  FIGS. 1A and 1B  is mounted on the neck of a horse by means of an improved collar  10  of the present invention.  
      Referring to  FIGS. 3A-3D , collar  10  includes a leather strap section  11  having a buckle tongue holes  11 A therein for receiving the tongue member  20  of a buckle assembly  14 . As illustrated, the left end of leather strap section  11  is attached by means of stitching  13  to the outer right end portion of an elastic strap section  12 . A elongated short leather backing section  18  is aligned with the left end portion of leather strap section  11  and is attached to the inner right end portion of elastic strap section  12  by means of stitching  13 . Backing section  18  is necessary for durability of stitching  13 , as the strength of direct stitching to elastic material is inadequate.  
      Buckle assembly  14  is attached to the left end of elastic section  12  by means of two stitching sections  17 . The buckle assembly  14  includes a leather buckle strap section  15 A,B including an outer piece  15 A and an inner piece  15 B which are stitched by means of stitching  17  to the outer and inner left end surface portions, respectively, of elastic strap section  12 . The left portions of leather buckle strap sections  15 A and  15 B form a small loop around a tongue-support bar (not shown) that is attached between the opposed side rails of a buckle frame  16 . A tongue member  20  is pivotally mounted on the tongue-support bar and passes through a slot in the left end of buckle strap section  15 A,  15 B. A strap-retaining loop  19  extends around outer piece  15 A between stitching sections  17 . Of course, mechanical fastener means other than the illustrated buckle  17 , such as hook-and-loop (Velcro®), clamps or multiple snaps can be used if more convenient. Similarly, the leather buckle strap section  15 A and  15 B could be modified to provide an extension to form a second leather strap similar to the leather strap section  11 . This latter configuration would place the elastic section  12  between two leather strap sections; this configuration may be helpful in certain circumstances to facilitate the appropriate positioning of the elastic strap section and the receiver unit.  
      As indicated in  FIG. 2 , leather strap section  11  extends through the loops  7  ( FIG. 1A ) of receiver unit  4  to support it against the side of the horse&#39;s neck as shown in  FIG. 2 . Various other ways of engaging/supporting the receiver unit  4  by means of the strap section  11  may be used if more convenient.  
      In a commercial embodiment of the invention, leather strap section  11  is 23 inches in length and 1 inch in length, and approximately 0.1 inches thick and may be selected from an appropriate grade of leather. The buckle tongue-receiving holes  11 A are spaced approximately 1.5 inches apart. Elastic strap section  12  preferably is composed of a woven flat elastic material, such as woven flat black elastic strap incorporated of 2/150 black polyester warp and filler and including 37 gauge elastomer; such material is commercially available from various sources. The length of elastic strap section  12  is 14 inches, and its width is 2 inches. The distance between the right end of strap section  15 A and the right end of leather strap section  11  is 6 inches, and the right end of buckle strap section  15 A is 3.75 inches from the left end of elastic strap section  12 . The width of elastic strap sections  15 A and  15 B is 1 inch. The length of leather section  18  is approximately 4 inches and its width is 1 inch. The width of elastic strap  12  is wider than the width of leather strap  11  to stabilize collar  10  so as to prevent any longitudinal “twisting” of any portion of collar  10  in the event it becomes momentarily loosened as the horse lowers its head or engages in cribbing activity.  
      By measuring the diameter of a number of horses&#39; necks with their heads lowered and also with their heads raised, it has been found that the circumference of a typical horse&#39;s neck can increase roughly 4 to 8 inches as the horse raises its head from a lowered position to an upper position. One purpose of collar  10  is to keep the conductive tips of stimulus electrodes  6  snug against the skin of side of the horse&#39;s neck in order to provide effective electrical contact thereto and hence provide aversive electrical stimulus.  
      However, if the leather collar strap  5  shown in the prior art device of  FIG. 1B  is put on the horse&#39;s neck when its head is elevated to a “neutral” or “resting” position, then effective electrical contact between the conductive tips of stimulus electrodes  6  and the skin of the horse&#39;s neck is lost when the horse lowers its head because the circumference of its neck is reduced by 4 to 8 inches.  
      Also, the leather collar  5  may rotate circumferentially about the horse&#39;s neck, causing the receiver unit  4  to slide lower along the side of horse&#39;s neck to the location of the jugular groove, at which electrical contact of the conductive tips of stimulus probes  6  with the skin is inadequate.  
      An important function of partially elastic collar  10  is to maintain consistent and suitable positioning and pressure of the electrode tips of stimulus electrodes  6  against the animal&#39;s skin so as to ensure consistent application of electrical stimulus. (The present assignee spent many years trying to solve problems in achieving consistent application of electrical stimulus from insulated stimulus electrodes in dog training products. Some of these problems are described in the assignee&#39;s previous patents.) Another important function of collar  10  is preventing rotation of the collar-supported electronic product on the horse&#39;s neck. For example, an elastic collar might be especially important in maintaining the position of a sensor, such as a microphone in a bark limiter product for use in dog training, or a cribbing activity sensing product, to effectively detect sounds produced in the throat of the horse.  
      The internal circuitry of stimulus receiver  4  is designed to produce selectable levels of stimulation within a range that is suitable for training of horses. That range is substantially lower than the range of levels of stimulation suitable for training of dogs, because horses are more sensitive to such electrical stimulus. The lower stimulus levels may result in less effective electrical contact between the tips of electrodes  6  and the adjacent skin on the side of the horse&#39;s neck. Therefore, it is very important that collar  10  consistently maintain adequate physical contact of stimulus electrodes  6  against the horse&#39;s skin.  
      Elastic strap section  12  can be composed of non-cotton-based material in order to avoid potential problems with premature rotting. The material of elastic strap section  12  must have sufficient “stretch” that when collar  10  is tightened to be sufficiently snug with the horse&#39;s head in a neutral or resting position, the elastic strap section  12  stretches to accommodate changes in the circumference of the horse&#39;s neck to maintain at least a minimum tensile force in collar  10  as the circumference of the horse&#39;s neck varies from a minimum to a maximum value as result of normal movement of the horse&#39;s head. This results in electronic stimulus device  4  being supported so that adequate pressure is maintained on electronic stimulus device  4  that the conductive tips of electrodes  5  maintain good electrical contact with the skin of the horse&#39;s neck. A considerable amount of experimentation was required to determine the type of material, length, thickness, width, and length of elastic strap section  12  needed to meet the above requirements and thereby solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art.  
      A substantial portion of the 4 to 8 inch stretch range of the elastic section should be taken up when the collar  10  is mounted and tightened on the horse&#39;s neck with its head in a neutral position, because the neck diameter and circumference are close to maximum at that point.  
      In some cases, it may be advantageous to provide to multiple elastic sections  12  in collar  10  in order to provide different elastic sections with different amounts of elasticity, so that as the elastic limit of one elastic section is reached, another stronger elastic section can continue to stretch as needed. Also, in some cases it might be possible to use elastic material for most or all of the strap material of collar  10 .  
      The market for horse-related strap products generally prefers or demands leather products, which have been time-proven to be superior for most applications. However, in some cases leather strap section  11  might be replaced by suitable vinyl coated plastic material such as Biothane® belting from BioPlastica Company located in Ridgeville, Ohio.  
      There is a relatively small but appreciable change in the circumference of the necks of “large” dogs. Although the neck circumference of such a large dog does not change nearly as much as the typical 4 to 8 inch change in the neck circumference of a typical horse, a modified embodiment of collar  10  may be useful in achieving the objective of maintaining constant force of stimulus electrodes  6  against the skin of the dog&#39;s neck to prevent the collar and stimulus and/or sensor unit (e.g., the microphone of a bark limiter device) from moving, especially if, for example, the dog learns ways of holding its head so as to reduce its neck size and thereby avoid the stimulus of a collar-supported electronic bark limiter electrical stimulus device.  
      Referring to  FIG. 4 , an alternative embodiment of an electronic receiver unit is shown. The electronic receiving unit  50  is the same as the receiver unit  4  shown in connection with the previously described embodiment. However, the leather strap section  45  extending through loops provided in the receiver unit  50  is attached by stitching  46  to first and second elastic strap sections  41  and  42 . Thus, the single elastic strap  12  of the previous embodiments has been replaced with two elastic strap sections  41  and  42 . A second leather strap section  51  is secured to the second elastic strap section  42  through the utilization of a leather backing section  44  and stitching in a manner similar to that described in connection with the previous embodiments. Similarly, a buckle assembly  52  is secured to the first elastic strap section  41 . It may be seen that the embodiment of  FIG. 4  provides two independent elastic strap sections that provide increased extension capabilities to accommodate a greater range of the increase in horse neck circumference; further, the increased total length of the elastic strap portions of this embodiment may permit the utilization of different elastic materials whose modulus of elasticity may be varied to accommodate a wider variety of conditions encountered during use. Further, the elasticity of the respective elastic strap sections  41  and  42  may be chosen to be different such that one section will elongate under a predetermined stretching force up to its designed limit while the second elastic strap section, having a different modulus of elasticity, will begin significant “stretching” only after the first elastic section has been extended to its limit.  
      While the invention has been described with reference to several particular embodiments thereof, those skilled in the art will be able to make various modifications to the described embodiments of the invention without departing from its true spirit and scope. It is intended that all elements or steps which are insubstantially different from those recited in the claims but perform substantially the same functions, respectively, in substantially the same way to achieve the same result as what is claimed are within the scope of the invention. For example, receiver unit  4  could be either a sensing device or a stimulus device or a combination of the two, rather than the electronic stimulus device  4  as described. Similarly, the electronic stimulus device  4  can be a transmitter, receiver, transceiver, an audio device to emit selected sounds for command/training, or a vibrator to transmit vibrational sensations to the animal upon which the device is mounted.