Patent Publication Number: US-2010116221-A1

Title: Animal Restraint System

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to animal restraint devices and, more particularly, to an animal restraint system for use in a vehicle that selectively restrains a pet. Further, the animal restraint system may be secured similar to a car seat, to the metal framework in the rear compartment of a vehicle, or in a truck bed. 
     Animals such as dogs are frequently transported in automobiles between a home and the veterinarian, to and from a park, or just to keep their owner company while traveling. Many pet owners desire to keep their pet restrained while driving either for the safety of the animal in case of an accident or so the pet does not interfere with the driver&#39;s ability to operate the vehicle safely. 
     Various devices have been proposed in the art for securely restraining a pet in a vehicle. Although assumably effective for their intended purposes, the existing devices are not adaptable for installation in cars, SUV&#39;s, and truck beds as well as useful for animals of multiple sizes while not taking away seating from human passengers. 
     Therefore, it would be desirable to have an animal restraint system that overcomes the limitations of the existing devices or prior patent proposals. Further, it would be desirable to have an animal restraint system that may be installed in multiple automobile environments, is adjustable for pets of various sizes, and includes a transition handle for controlling the pet when not secured in an automobile. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An animal restraint system according to the present invention includes a vest configured to surround a forward portion of an animal extending from around the animal&#39;s neck to a location adjacent a rear end of the animal&#39;s rib cage. The vest includes front and rear ends, opposed first and second sides, a top, a bottom, a neck opening at the front end, two leg openings, and first and second shoulder areas, the shoulder areas being at the top generally adjacent the animal&#39;s shoulders when the vest is worn by the animal. A ring is coupled to the vest at the first shoulder area, a first lateral loop is coupled to the vest at the top, and a first lateral loop is coupled to the vest at the first side. The system includes a first crossing loop. A strap is configured to pass through the first lateral loop and the first crossing loop, respectively, the strap having opposed ends with fasteners configured for attachment to vehicle attachment points, the strap extending along the first side when the strap passes through the first lateral loop and the fasteners are utilized. The strap extends across the top from the first side to the second side when the strap passes through the first crossing loop and the fasteners are utilized. 
     Therefore, a general object of this invention is to provide an animal restraint system for securing an animal in a vehicle. 
     Another object of this invention is to provide an animal restraint system, as aforesaid, that is adaptable for installation in different vehicle environments. 
     Still another object of this invention is to provide an animal restraint system, as aforesaid, that may be reconfigured or adjusted for pets of various sizes. 
     A further object of this invention is to provide an animal restraint system, as aforesaid, that includes a transition handle for controlling the pet when not secured in an automobile. 
     A still further object of this invention is to provide an animal restraint system, as aforesaid, that is user-friendly to install and adjust. 
     Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein is set forth by way of illustration and example, embodiments of this invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an animal restraint system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, shown worn by a dog; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the animal restraint system as in  FIG. 1  removed from the dog and on an enlarged scale; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective of the animal restraint system as in  FIG. 1 , in another adjustment and secured configuration, such as adjacent a truck bed panel; 
         FIG. 4  is another perspective view of the animal restraint system as in  FIG. 1 , shown in another adjustment and secured configuration, such as in a truck bed; 
         FIG. 5   a  is another perspective view of the animal restraint system as in  FIG. 1 , shown in another adjustment and secured configuration, such as in a car seat; 
         FIG. 5   b  is an isolated view on an enlarged scale taken from a portion of  FIG. 5   a;    
         FIG. 5   c  is an isolated view on an enlarged scale taken from a portion of  FIG. 5   a;    
         FIG. 6   a  is a perspective view of an animal restraint system according to another embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 6   b  is an isolated view on an enlarged scale taken from a portion of  FIG. 6   a.    
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     An animal restraint system will now be described in detail with reference to  FIG. 1  through  FIG. 6   b  of the accompanying drawings. More particularly, an animal restraint system  100  includes a vest  110  and a strap  150 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the vest  110  is configured to surround a forward portion of an animal  10  (e.g., a dog). More particularly, the vest  110  is configured to extend from the animal&#39;s neck  12  to a location adjacent a rear end of the animal&#39;s rib cage  14 . The vest  110  includes front and rear ends  112   a ,  112   b , opposed sides  114 , a top  116   a , a bottom  116   b , a neck opening  118  at the front end  112   a , two leg openings  122 , and two shoulder areas  124 . The shoulder areas  124  are at the top  116 a generally adjacent the shoulders of the animal  10  when the vest  110  is worn by the animal  10 . The vest  110  may include means for adjusting around the animal  10 . For example, a zipper  126   a , straps  126   b  with fasteners  126   c , and/or other elements may be included to allow the vest  110  to be easily fitted to the animal  10 . The vest  110  may be constructed of quilted fabric and/or any other appropriate material and may include reinforcing  119  ( FIG. 2 ) adjacent the neck opening  118  and the leg openings  122 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , a ring  130  (e.g., a D-ring) may be coupled to the vest  110  at one or both shoulder areas  124 , and a ring  132  (e.g., a D-ring) may be coupled to the vest  110  at the front end  112   a  adjacent the neck opening  118  (e.g., at the top  116   a  or bottom  116   b ). Various loops  140  may also be coupled to the vest  110 . For example, a lateral loop  142  may be coupled to the vest  110  at one or both sides  114 , and at least one crossing loop  144  may be coupled to the vest  110  at the top  116   a . Two crossing loops  144  are included in the embodiment shown in  FIG. 2 , and the crossing loops  144  are in line with one another to allow the strap  150  to pass through both crossing loops  144  simultaneously ( FIG. 4 ). 
     The strap  150  may have an adjustable length (e.g., may include a length-adjusting mechanism  152 , as shown in  FIG. 3 ), and the strap  150  is configured to pass through the loops  140  ( FIGS. 3 and 4 ). Opposed ends  154  of the strap  154  may include fasteners  156  ( FIG. 3 ), and the fasteners  156  may be configured for attachment to attachment points  20  (e.g., truck bed anchors shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , LATCH anchors, seatbelt end release devices, etc.). 
     As shown in  FIG. 6   b , a transition handle  160  may be included. The transition handle  160  has a grip portion  162  and an attachment portion  164 . The grip portion  162  is rigid and may be circular or other appropriate shapes, and the attachment portion  164  may be a fastener  166 . The transition handle  160  may have a nonextendable length, or in other words, may have a fixed length from the fastener  166  to the end of the grip portion  162 . 
     The ring(s)  130  at shoulder area(s)  124  and the ring  132  adjacent the neck opening  118  may be configured for attachment to the fastener  166  of the transition handle  160  and/or the fasteners  156  of the strap  150 . 
     In use, the restraint system  100  may be employed in various ways to guide and restrain the animal  10  (e.g., a dog). The vest  110  is first placed on the animal  10 , with the animal&#39;s neck  12  passing through the neck opening  118  and the animal&#39;s front legs passing through the leg openings  122 . As shown in  FIGS. 6   a  and  6   b , the transition handle  160  may be attached to the vest  110  by coupling the fastener  166  to a ring  130  at a shoulder area  124 , and the rigidity of the grip portion  162  and the location of the ring  130  may allow a user to easily guide and maintain the dog using the transition handle  160 . 
     To closely tether the animal  10  to an attachment point  20 , one fastener  156  of the strap  154  may be coupled to the attachment point  20  ( FIG. 5   c ) and the other strap fastener  156  may be coupled to a ring  130  at a shoulder area  124  ( FIG. 5   b ) or the ring  132  adjacent the neck opening  118 . 
     To tether the animal  10  while allowing the animal  10  limited freedom to move generally linearly, the strap  150  may pass through one or more loop  140  while the fasteners  156  are utilized. For example, as shown in  FIG. 3 , the strap  150  may pass through a lateral loop  142  and the strap fasteners  156  may be coupled to separate attachment points  20 . With the strap  150  generally taut, the strap  150  extends along the side  114  of the vest  110  and allows the vest  110  and the animal  10  to move forward and rearward. In another example, as shown in  FIG. 4 , the strap  150  may pass through one or both crossing loops  144  and the strap fasteners  156  may be coupled to separate attachment points  20 . With the strap  150  generally taut, the strap  150  extends across the top  116   a  from one side  114  to the other side  114  and allows the vest  110  and the animal  10  to move sideways. 
     It is understood that while certain forms of this invention have been illustrated and described, it is not limited thereto except insofar as such limitations are included in the following claims and allowable functional equivalents thereof.