Patent Abstract:
A battery-powered transmitter which emits an audible sound or RF signal, including a housing which is mountable to the collar for a pet, for example. The present device is switchable between “on” and “off” modes of operation by means of a rotary cap whose rotational position effects switching of the device between its “on” and “off” modes of operation. Tactile and visual indication of the then-current operational mode of the device is provided by means of the rotational position of the rotary cap and indicia provided on the housing of the device and on the rotary cap itself. The rotary cap of the present invention further provides for sealing of the rotary cap with respect to the housing against foul weather conditions, including immersion in water, while simultaneously providing for rotary motion of the cap for effecting switching of the device between its “on” and “off” operational modes, employing an expansible seal between the cap and the housing.

Full Description:
FIELD OF INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to switches useful in devices for ascertaining the location of a remotely located out-of-sight pet employing audible sound generated by a battery-powered transmitter which is selectively switchable between on and off positions. Particularly, the present invention relates to a device of the type described wherein the transmitter is selectively switchable by means of a rotary lid or cap switch having a foul weather, a splash proof, and/or waterproof feature. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   In the prior art, various pet locators such as bells and the like have been employed to provide as indicators of the location of an animal, such as a pet. These devices commonly provide a substantially constant or repetitive output of sound. Further, in the prior art, it has been proposed to employ a battery-powered transmitter which is attachable to a collar which encircles the neck of a pet and which is switchable between “on” and “off” modes of operation. The known prior art devices suffer from malfunction, corrosion, and/or other deleterious effects by reason of the exposure of their switching mechanism to adverse environmental conditions, such as snow or rain or instances where hunting dog enters a body of water, for example. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a battery-powered transmitter which emits an audible sound and which includes a housing which is mountable to the collar for a pet, for example. The present device is switchable between “on” and “off” modes of operation by means of a rotary cap whose rotational position effects switching of the device between its “on” and “off” modes of operation. Tactile and visual indication of the then-current operational mode of the device is provided by means of the rotational position of the rotary cap and indicia provided on the housing of the device and on the rotary cap itself. The rotary cap of the present invention further provides for sealing of the rotary cap with respect to the housing against foul weather conditions while simultaneously providing for rotary motion of the cap for effecting switching of the device between its “on” and “off” operational modes, employing an expansible seal between the cap and the housing. 
   In one embodiment, the rotary cap includes a planar geometrically shaped conductor embedded within the interior wall of the closed end of the cap and having its outer surface essentially flush with the outer surface of the inner wall of the closed end of the cap, thereby positioning the conductor for simultaneous engagement with first and second electrical contacts disposed within the housing upon rotation of the cap to a preselected position relative to the housing, and resultant completion of an electrical circuit suitable to cause the device to apply power and thereby provide an indication of the then-current location of the pet. In like manner, by changing the rotational position of the cap, electrical continuity between the first and second contacts is broken to halt the generation of sound by the device. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
       FIG. 1  is a representation, partly exploded, of one embodiment of a device which depicts various of the features of the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is top plan view of the rotary cap of the device depicted in  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  is a bottom plan view of the rotary cap depicted in  FIG. 2 ; 
       FIG. 4  is a representation one embodiment of a sealing ring useful in the present invention; 
       FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of the sealing ring depicted in  FIG. 4 ; 
       FIG. 6  is a side elevational view of the device depicted in  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 7  is a sectional view taken generally along the line  7 — 7  of  FIG. 6 ; and 
       FIG. 8  is a partially exploded view of the bottom left corner of the embodiment depicted in FIG.  7 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   Referring to the several Figures, one embodiment of a device  10  embodying various of the features of the present invention is depicted. The depicted device includes a hollow housing  12  having a pair of loop-type leg members  14  and  15  projecting therefrom and defining means for mounting of the device on a collar  16  encircling the neck of a pet, for example. 
   The depicted housing  12  includes first and second opposite and outwardly opening ends  18 , 20 , respectively, each end being provided with external threads  22 , 24  adapted to receive thereon an internally threaded cap  26 , 28 , respectively, for effectively closing the open ends of the housing. 
   The housing further includes a sound generator housing  29  and serves to house a circuit board  32  containing those electrical components required to generate an audible sound at repeated time intervals when the device is switched “on”. As desired, the device may be provided with electrical components necessary to selectively alter the time interval, the duration and/or the decibel level of the audible sound emitted by the device. The electrical circuitry and associated switches, etc. are well understood by one skilled in the art and need not be described herein in detail. 
   Referring specifically to  FIGS. 1-3 , the cap  26  is of conventional construction and includes an inner sealing ring  33  suitable to seal the first end  18  of the housing against foul weather conditions, including “waterproofing” the end  18 , when the cap is tightly threaded onto the threads  22  on the end  18  of the housing. 
   In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, the second end  20  of the housing and the cap  28  are complementarily designed to close the second end  20  of the housing while still providing for as much as a quarter turn of the cap without breaking the seal between the cap and the housing. It is this latitude of rotary motion of the cap  26  which the present inventor has found to permit the cap  26  to perform a switching function and a sealing function. That is, rotation of the cap between first and second rotational positions of the cap  26  relative to the threads  22  on the end  18  of the housing selective functions to turn the device “on” or “off”, but without breaking of the seal between the cap and the end of the housing. Whereas such extensive rotary movement of the cap would normally break the seal between the cap and the end of the housing and thereby allow water to enter the housing, the present inventor has found that by employing a specially designed resilient ring  33 . 
   The preferred resilient sealing ring  33  disposed between the cap  26  and the end  18  of the housing is depicted in  FIGS. 4 and 5 . Notably, as best seen in  FIG. 5 , the resilient ring  33  of the present invention includes a body portion  40  which is generally of rectangular cross-section but which further includes an outermost rim  42  which is generally hemispherical in cross-section and is integrally formed on the outer perimeter  43  of the top surface  44  of, and projects from, the body portion  40  of the ring  33  to thereby position the rim  42  between the flat circular face  34  of the end  18  of the housing and the inner end surface of the cap. One suitable material of construction for the ring of the present invention is a rubber or polymeric elastomer available from Advanced Elastermer Systems having a Shore A durometer value of between about 50 and about 90. In any event, the depicted embodiment of the sealing ring  32  of the present invention, the ring provides a preferred embodiment for effecting the desired sealing of the cap with respect to the threaded end  8  of the housing. However, it will be recognized that other cross sectional geometries may be acceptable. For example, the cross-sectional geometry of the rim  42  of the ring may be of any geometry which provides for the rim  42  to be resiliently interposed between the cap and the immediately adjacent threaded end of the housing and the side wall of the cap such that there is formed a resilient annular seal between the cap and the end of the housing, that is, between the rim portion of the ring and the outer surface  34  of the end  18  of the housing. 
   In the depicted embodiment of the present invention, end  18  of the housing is provided internally thereof with a mounting plate  50  of electrically non-conductive material. This plate is fixedly mounted within the end  18  of the housing substantially parallel to the longitudinal centerline  55  of the housing and serves to mount the circuit board  32  within the housing. A further generally disc-shaped end plate  53 , also of non-electrically conductive material is provided to substantially close end  18  of the housing  12  except for a slot  57  which serves to support one end  50  of an elongated battery  56  within the slot  57  in the plate. Further, a spring contact  58  which is resiliently mounted on, and in electrical communication with the circuitry on the circuit board, projects through an opening  60  in the plate and is inherently biased away from the open end of the housing. Thus, as seen in  FIG. 1 , one terminal  62  of the battery  56  which is exposed outwardly from the plate and adjacent the open end  18  of the housing defines a first electrical contact  70 . The spring contact  58  defines a second electrical contact  72  which is physically spaced apart from the first electrical contact. As noted, the spring contact  58  is inherently biased away from (outwardly from) the open end  18  of the housing. That end  74  of the battery which is disposed most inwardly of the inner volume of the housing engages a spring  76  which is associated with and in electrical communication with the circuitry of the circuit board  32 . Thus, the first and second electrical contacts are both spring biased outwardly of the open end of the housing, hence toward the cap  26  when the cap is threaded onto the end  18  of the housing, and are thereby positioned to be simultaneously engaged by an electrical conductor  80  mounted in the cap  26  and thereby close the circuitry associated with the circuit board and generate an audible sound or RF signal, for example. This opening and closing of the circuitry effects the turning “on” and “off” of the device and in the depicted embodiment is effected by rotational motion of the cap  26  as the cap is threaded onto or off the threads  22  of the end  18  of the housing. More specifically, each of the first and second electrical contacts  70  and  72  are biased to respective locations outboard of the plane occupied by the outermost circular face  34  of the housing. 
   More specifically, and referring to  FIGS. 1-3  and  7 , in the depicted embodiment, the inner end wall  82  of the cap  26  is provided with a circular depression  84  within which there is fixedly mounted an electrical conductor  80 . In the depicted embodiment, this electrical conductor is flat and planar and somewhat elongated, but is provided with a special geometry when viewed in a plan view (see FIG.  3 ). The overall length of the conductor  80  is chosen to be sufficient to permit the conductor, when the cap is rotated to a first rotational position relating to the housing, to simultaneously engage the first and second electrical contacts  70 , 72  (i.e., the battery terminal and the spring contact). In the depicted embodiment, one end  83  of the conductor  80  is of a width which is about twice the width of the opposite end  85  of the conductor. Notably, these opposite ends of the conductor are disposed about 180 degrees apart about the centerline  55  of the cap. The depth of the depression  84  in the inner end surface of the cap is chosen to be essentially equal to the thickness of the conductor so that the outer surface  86  of the conductor is mounted essentially flush with the surface  88  of the inner end wall of the cap, thereby permitting ready sliding motion between the first and second electrical contacts  70 , 72  and the conductor  80  as the cap is rotated to its first rotational position relative to the housing. 
   In the depicted embodiment, it will be noted that the somewhat elongated geometry of the conductor  80  and its position within the cap are chosen such that the more narrow end  83  of the conductor is disposed in electrically conductive engagement with the contact  72 , and its opposite wider end  85  is in electrically conductive engagement with the contact  70  (battery terminal) when the cap has been threaded onto the end of the housing and tightened to the “ON” position and commencement of generation of an audible sound or RF signal by the device. This sound or signal continues so long as the device is “ON”. Rotation of the cap (loosening of the cap) by about one-quarter turn or less is sufficient to move the end  83  of the conductor out of engagement with the contact  72  and thereby render the device inoperative. The wider end  85  of the connector provides for variance of the location of the battery terminal relative to the location of the terminal  70 , hence lessening of any need to precisely position the cap such that the circuit between the battery terminal and the contact  70  is closed or opened. 
   Referring to  FIG. 7 , it will be noted that the cap  26  is provided with a further circular depression  90  in the inner surface of the cap at a location immediately adjacent the inner side wall  92  of the cap for the receipt therein of the sealing ring  32 . In the depicted embodiment, the depth of this depression is less than, about one-third to one-half, the thickness of the body portion  40  of the sealing ring. By this means, as much as one-half to two-thirds of the thickness of the sealing ring projects above the inner surface  88  of the cap. Further, this disposition of the sealing ring positions the raised circular rim  42  of the sealing ring in register with the circular outer face  34  of the cap, and when the cap is threaded onto the end  18  of the housing, this circular rim  42  engages the outermost flat face  34  of the end  18  of the housing to effect a waterproof seal therebetween before the cap has been fully threaded onto the housing. By this means, when the cap is threaded onto the end of the housing, less than full threading of the cap onto the end of the housing, effects water-tight sealing between the cap and the end of the housing, leaving as much as a quarter of a turn of the cap on the end of the housing available to further compress the sealing ring between the cap and the end of the housing. It is this additional rotational motion of the cap provided for by the compressibility and resiliency of the sealing ring, which the present inventor employs to effect movement of the conductor  80  disposed within the cap into electrical connection with the first and second electrical contacts which project from the end of the housing. That is, tightly threading the cap onto the end of the housing rotates the conductor with the rotation of the cap and brings the conductor into simultaneous electrical communication with the first and second electrical contacts  70 , 72  to turn the device “on”. To turn the device “off”, one only need to unscrew the cap by less than about a quarter turn to disengage the conductor and the electrical contacts. At all times during this limited degree of rotation of the cap relative to the end of the housing, the compressibility and resiliency of the sealing ring are chosen to be sufficient to cause the sealing ring to compress or rebound, as the case may be, as the cap is rotated through the limited degree of rotation. Thus, the action of turning the device “on” and “off” is performed by rotation of the cap without ever breaking the waterproof seal between the cap and the end of the housing. 
   Thus, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the durometer value exhibited by the material of the ring will be a function of the cross-sectional geometry of the rim in particular. That is, soft resilient materials may dictate a relatively larger size, and/or different geometry, rim to ensure adequate compression sealing, and less resilient materials may dictate another geometry for the rim. The ring must exhibit excellent resiliency and rebound properties and resist abrasion by repeated rotary motion of the cap by as much as a quarter turn relative to the housing when the cap is rotated to turn the device “on” or “off”. Moreover, it is to be recognized that the device of the present invention is exposed to substantial shock forces, such as when a pet wearing the device on its collar, for example a hunting dog, may run through thick brush, jump around in a boat, climb into a boat, etc. and thereby subject the present device to relatively severe blows which tend to loosen the cap  26  on the housing  12  with resultant turning “off” of the device and cessation of the desired emanation of sound or RF signal from the device. Such cessation of sound from the device obviously defeats the purpose of the device, as well as opens up the possibility of water entering the device and consequential damage to the device. 
   Notably, in the present invention the preferred resilient ring  32  is snugly, hence frictionally, held within the depression  90  such that the ring remains securely in place even when the cap  26  is fully removed from the housing  12 . Tactile identification of the rotational position of the cap is facilitated by means of elongated lugs  97  which are equally spaced apart about the outer circumference of the cap  26 . In a preferred embodiment, one of the lugs  99  is larger (e.g. wider) than the remaining lugs. The rotational position of this wider lug relative to the starting position of the cap for threading the cap onto the housing, in combination with the number and pitch of the cooperating threads on the cap and on the end of the housing, is adjacent the “ON” position of the device when the cap is fully and snugly threaded onto the housing, thereby affording the pet owner assurance that the device is in the desired operative state. Vice versa, when the lug  99  is rotational out of sync with the “ON” position of the device, the pet owner may tactically ascertain that the device is “OFF”. When the device is “ON,” it emits a continuous (or periodic) audible or radio frequency (RF) signal. Tactile indication may be useful when the device is designed to emit an RF signal. 
   Whereas the present invention has been described in connection with the embodiment depicted in the several Figures, it will be recognized by one skilled in the art that other embodiments are suitable for obtaining equivalent functioning of the present device. For example, the battery itself could be contained within the cap without departing from the present invention. Moreover, the precise geometry of the sealing ring may be altered while still permitting the described limited degree of rotation of the cap relative to the end of the housing without breaking the required seal between the cap and the end of the housing. It is therefore, intended that the invention be limited only as set forth in the claims appended hereto.

Technology Classification (CPC): 0