Abstract:
A pet collar and leash having interchangeable decorative facings constructed of a base member that is generally elongate in shape having removable facings with various decorative designs applied thereto. The base member and facings are removably mounted together by a hook and loop attachment so that the user can mix and match a combination of facings that are then attached to the base member to achieve matching or different appearances.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    There are no related applications. 
       STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
       [0002]    Not applicable. 
       REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING COMPACT DISC APPENDIX 
       [0003]    None. 
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    The present invention generally relates to pet accessories, namely articles to be worn by animals and is specifically directed to a pet collar and leash with interchangeable decorative facings. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    In this present world where the latest celebrity picture, Facebook, and email photographs of persons and their pets is available for everyone&#39;s Internet viewing pleasure within hours of the images having been taken, trends and interests can come and go within a matter of weeks, if not sooner. This is particularly true with regard to accessories and pet apparel, as last week&#39;s “cutting edge” is often this week&#39;s “mainstream” and can just as easily become the following week&#39;s “hand me downs”. The popularity of matching apparel for pets so that the same add attractiveness to the pet and/or the pet&#39;s owner have become fashionable. Many owners of cats and dogs show their pets by dressing them up with decorative articles such as collars and leashes. Pets, like golf clubs, seem to be immune from the economic time or monetary hardships and a large industry has arisen to provide pet foods, pet toys and pet accessories for owners anxious to present their pets in the most favorable light. Animal collars chosen for attractiveness and ornamentation are well known in the field of pet care. However, these collars rapidly soil and deteriorate to lose their attractiveness. 
         [0006]    A number of patents have been directed toward changeable apparel including dog collars. 
         [0007]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,266,511 issued May 12, 1981 discloses an ornamental collar for an animal having a strip of protective and decorative fabric for extension along the exterior of an animal collar, the fabric being provided on its inner side with collar receiving loops and on its ends with buckle engaging ties. 
         [0008]    Human changeable costumes are known and such examples are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,201,629 issued Apr. 10, 2007. This patent discloses a base foundation garment upon which may be fastened various interchangeable covers. 
         [0009]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,865,148 issued Feb. 2, 1999 discloses a decorative dog collar together with snap fasteners to form a decorative collar. It is noted that when connection rings are used that the intermediate sections can be connected to the end sections by hook and fabric fasteners. 
         [0010]    Decorative animal collars and leashes having decorative components adhesively attached to a flexible band and anchored by lengths of thread are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,350,342 issued Apr. 1, 2008. 
         [0011]    What is needed are pet accessories that can be easily modified to suit the moment and easily cleaned. The present invention has a simple, functional base and various interchangeable facings to adapt the collar and/or leash as required. The facings are multiple in selection and are easily interchangeable with additional facings becoming available according to the fashions of the day. Consequently, the user can change the appearance of the pet appropriately for any situation simply by replacing the facing of the base collar and base leash with the most appropriate, most fashionable design. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0012]    The present invention is a fashion pet collar and pet leash with interchangeable facings which is adapted for highly attractive and aesthetically appealing designs. The collar and leash include a basic flexible band made from a simple base material made from any appropriate material, such as leather or fabric and a facing of fabric or other material. Attachment means, for example hook and loop-type fasteners or hook and pile-type material commonly known as Velcro® are then used to affix various decorative facings to the collar base member and/or the leash base member to thereby modify the appearance of same as desired by the user. Additional attachment mechanisms may also be used for mounting the facings to the collar and/or leash base member such as temporary contact adhesion, magnets, and electrostatic means. With particular regard to the use of hook and loop-type fasteners, either the hook or loop portion of the fastening system is affixed to the respective pet base member by sewing the same to the base member and the complimentary loop or hook material is affixed to the various different decorative fabric facings by sewing same to one side of the fabric facing. After selecting the particular facing pattern or color desired, the user simply presses the facing into position onto the pet collar and/or leash base member, as appropriate for the attachment used. Thereafter the wearer is ready to face the world with a pet in the color or design of his or her choosing. 
         [0013]    The pet collar and/or a leash may be used as dictated by the fashion of the day or serve as an accessory to, for example, as a color coordinate with the user&#39;s attire. The user may alternatively choose a contrasting color, material or glitter, or select facings with different patterns that allow multiple pet “outfits” for every day of the week. 
         [0014]    While the facings are linear shaped similar to the base collar and/or the lead of the leash, the invention also contemplates facings having any number of shapes. Because the facings do not provide structural integrity to the garment, they can be shaped to cover all or a portion of the base member. The facings can be formed in fanciful designs, for example, various geometric shapes or silhouettes covering all or just a portion of the flexible base member. 
         [0015]    The facings are designed to also be combined in a mix and match fashion wherein a plurality of smaller facings is provided. The user simply attaches multiple facings to the collar and/or leash, thereby creating unique designs or patterns from the combination of the facings. 
         [0016]    The owner may buy for his or her pet, for example, colored facings, or facings with various designs, such as plaid, abstract, paisley, or designs having a glitter component, such as beads, crystals, metallic or cubic zirconium, or designs showing an affiliation to particular colleges, universities, sports teams, or activities. 
         [0017]    It is an object of this invention to provide an easily adaptable, multi-use, changeable appearance pet collars and pet leashes. 
         [0018]    It is another object of this invention to provide a pet collar with easily replaceable facings. 
         [0019]    It is still another object of this invention to provide a pet leash with easily replaceable facings. 
         [0020]    It is yet another object of this invention to provide replaceable facings to pet collars and leashes that allows the user to easily clean the individual facings. 
         [0021]    It is a further object of this invention to provide an item of pet apparel that allows the user to adapt his or her pet to the current fashion. 
         [0022]    The invention will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0023]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the inventive leash with the midsection removed; 
           [0024]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the leash of  FIG. 1  showing the end portions of the facing separated and turned over; 
           [0025]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the inventive leash shown in  FIG. 1  with a different decorative facing; 
           [0026]      FIG. 4  is a top plan view of the inventive collar with the midsection removed; 
           [0027]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the collar of  FIG. 4  showing the end portions of the facing separated and turned over; and 
           [0028]      FIG. 6  is a top plan view of the collar of  FIG. 4  with a different decorative facing. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0029]    The preferred embodiments and best modes of the changeable pet collar and leash invention are shown in  FIGS. 1 through 6 . While the invention is described in connection with certain preferred embodiments, it is not intended that the present invention be so limited. On the contrary, it is intended to cover all alternatives, modifications, and equivalent arrangements as may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. 
         [0030]    The pet collar  20  as shown in  FIGS. 4 through 6  includes a flexible band  22  forming a base layer preferably constructed of a simple ply of woven fabric such as nylon having a width of ¾ inches with a hook and loop layer  24  sewn on to base layer  22 . The flexible band  22  has a series of aligned belt holes  25  formed in a first end section which may have a metal eyelet and a belt buckle  26  and a leash clip loop  28  mounted at an opposite second end. A decorative facing  30  to be used with collar  20  preferably has a fabric layer  31  with pile or a hook and loop layer  32  sewn onto the facing layer  31 . At least one end  34  of the decorative facing  30  is folded over the pile or hook and loop layer  32  and sewn on itself thus providing a tab structure  35  which allows the decorative facing  30  to be easily attached and removed from band  22 . The distal end of pile layer  32  is spaced from the end of the fabric  31  to provide an end tab  36 . The pet collar facing  30  may be constructed from any material appropriate for the manufacture of apparel, including but not limited to cotton, linen, silk, wool, leather, polyester, nylon, rayon, man-made fibers, or combinations thereof with an optional glitter component secured thereto. As shown in  FIG. 5 , the pet collar facing  30  has a plurality of metal eyelets  37  surrounding a plurality of holes  38  are sized and are spaced so that they can be aligned with belt holes  25  allowing easy insertion of the tongue of the belt buckle  26 . The flexible band  22  has a long linear dimension generally suitable for being placed circumferentially the neck of an animal. Buckle  26  and eyelets  25  are mounted at each respective end of the band member  22  to facilitate joining of the ends into a circular configuration which will fit around the neck of the animal. Those skilled in the art will understand that the band ends may also be fastened together using a variety of connector mechanisms which includes magnets, snaps and the like. It is understood that other belt buckling mechanisms are well-known and are encompassed by this description, including but not limited to traditional ring and prong style closures, D-rings, cam buckles, snap closures, and the like. 
         [0031]    The decorative interchangeable facing  30  is shaped in substantially the same shape as the flexible band member  22  to cover the outside surface of the flexible band member  22 . The facing  30  includes an interior pile or hook and loop layer  32  sewn on exterior fabric layer  31  with aesthetically pleasing designs applied thereto. Alternatively, the exterior layer  31  may be a solid color, differing colors, different designs such as plaid, paisley, checkered or abstract or include various simulated or semi-precious stones, beads, crystal, ornamental metal, plastic, or ceramic formations; and various appliqués applied in an artistically pleasing pattern. It is also envisioned that designs showing various college, university or sports teams can be used by mounting same to the facing. 
         [0032]    The pet leash  120  is shown in  FIGS. 1 through 3 . The pet leash  120  lead member  122  may be constructed in accordance with the present invention from any material appropriate for use in restraining a pet, including but not limited to leather, polyester, nylon, rayon, man-made fibers, or combinations thereof. The pet leash  120  includes a flexible belt-like base member or lead member  122  having an elongated shape preferably about 1 inch in width and about 4 to about 6 feet in length with exterior hook and loop layer  132  and interior single ply woven fabric, leather or plastic lead  122  as shown in  FIG. 2 . The lead member  122  has a standard leash clip  124  on one end which can snap onto a collar loop  28  and a leash grip  126  on the opposing end in the form of a loop. 
         [0033]    A decorative interchangeable facing  140  is provided shaped in substantially the same shape as the lead member  122  to cover the outer or exterior surface of the lead member  122 . The facing  140  includes an interior surface layer of pile or hook and loop construction  143  and exterior surface layer  142  of fabric or synthetic material with aesthetically pleasing designs applied thereto. The inner layer  143  is preferably sewn to the exterior layer  142 . Each end  150 ,  150 ( a ) of the decorative facing  140  is folded over and sewn on itself, thus providing a tab structure  152  which allows the decorative facing  140  to be easily attached and removed from lead member  122 . Alternatively, the exterior surface layer  142  may be a solid color, differing colors, different designs such as plaid, paisley, checkered or abstract or include various simulated or semi-precious stones, beads, crystal, ornamental metal, plastic, or ceramic formations; and various appliqués applied in an artistically pleasing pattern. It is also envisioned that designs showing applications to various college, universities, sports teams or advertisers can be used. 
         [0034]    The interior layer  143  of the facing  140  is a material is a pile or hook and loop closure, for example Velcro®, and is mounted to the exterior or outer layer  132  of the lead member  122  with the looped material covering a significant area of the surface area of the lead member  122 . Complimentary hook and loop or pile material  143  is mounted to inner or interior surface of the facing  140  allowing the facing  140  and lead member  122  to be securely attached to one another by pressing the interior surface  143  of the facing  140  to the exterior layer surface  132  of the lead member  122 . Another attachment means can be magnetic strips fastened to the lead and facing which hold the two leash components together. 
         [0035]    In use, the pet owner will generally have on hand a number of different facings  40  and  140 , such that she or he may choose from a wide selection of “looks” to suit the specific pet or her or his mood. In addition to varying designs, colors or materials, glitter type materials such as beads, crystals, metallic member and cubic zirconium can be added to the facings  40  and  140 . Additional facings  30  and  140  may also be purchased with the latest designs or motifs applied thereto. The user simply mates the facing  30  or  140  to the respective base member  22  or lead member  122  which is already on hand, and the entire apparatus may be used with the pet. 
         [0036]    The principles, preferred embodiments and modes of operation of the present invention have been described in the foregoing specification. However, the invention should not be construed as limited to the particular embodiments which have been described above. Instead, the embodiments described here should be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive. Variations and changes may be made by others without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined by the following claims: