Abstract:
A handle structure includes a loop portion through which a hand of a user is insertable, and which is dimensioned and configured such that once the hand is inserted, the wrist of the user is retained captively within the loop portion such that a controlled tether is maintained without requiring grasping by the fingers of the user.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/594,388 filed Feb. 3, 2012 entitled LEASH HANDLE WITH HANDS-FREE FEATURE. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to a leash handle accessory, and more particularly to a leash handle accessory for attachment to a leash for allowing hands-free tethered control of a pet by a user. 
         [0003]    Commonly available leashes generally have a looped end adapted for grasping by a pet owner during walks. Being comprised of leather or fabric straps, these do not always provide the level of comfort or control desired. Moreover, they do not generally afford the option of easily retaining tethered control of the pet while freeing up the hand, particularly the fingers of the pet owner, so as to allow use of the hand, for such things as, for example, applying hand sanitizer after picking up dog waste. 
         [0004]    It would, therefore, be desirable to provide a handle accessory which would be configured to allow a tethered condition of pet to owner to be maintained without requiring a typical gripping of a handle, thereby freeing up the fingers of the user. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    An object of the invention is therefore to provide a leash handle accessory which allows hands-free control of a dog tethered to the owner/walker by a leash. 
         [0006]    This object is achieved, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention, by a handle structure which includes a loop portion through which the hand of the user is insertable, and which is dimensioned and configured such that once the hand is inserted, the wrist of the user is retained captively within the loop portion such that a controlled tether is maintained without requiring grasping by the fingers of the user. 
         [0007]    Advantageously, a handle grip can also be optionally provided, thereby giving the user the option of gripping the leash handle accessory comfortably, when not using the hands-free feature. 
         [0008]    The above, and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]      FIG. 1  is perspective view of an embodiment of a leash handle accessory according to the invention; 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is a schematic plan view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1  depicting insertion of a hand through a hand-free portion of the leash handle accessory; 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is a schematic plan view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1  depicting orientation of the hand to provide hands-free operation after being reoriented from the position in  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0012]      FIG. 4A  is another embodiment of a leash handle accessory according to the invention in which the optional cross-piece and grip are combined; and 
           [0013]      FIG. 4B  is a comparative illustration of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0014]    Referring now to  FIG. 1 , an embodiment of a leash handle accessory according to the invention is depicted generally at  10 . The leash handle accessory  10  optionally includes a leash tethering portion  2  through which a leash (not shown) may be looped through and tied in suitable fashion to be retained to the leash handle accessory  10 . The invention also contemplates any other form of attachment of leash to the leash handle accessory, for example, utilizing a carabiner clip, tie or the like. 
         [0015]    A hands-free portion  3  is provided and defines a hand reception opening  4 , through which a hand of a user is receivable, in a manner as will be described in detail below, with reference to  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
         [0016]    Optionally, as shown in the depicted example, the leash handle accessory  10  further includes a grip  5  configured to advantageously provide a comfortable hand grip when the hands-free feature is not being utilized. Grip  5  advantageously includes an ergonomic region  5   a  which is configured to provide enhanced comfort when grip  5  is held by the user. The fingers of the gripping hand of the user are received in a fingers receiving opening  8  located forward of grip  5 . A hole  6  extending at least partially through the grip  5  advantageously provides a storage region for waste bags or hand sanitizer, and also reduces required material for lighter weight and greater economy. 
         [0017]    In the depicted embodiment of  FIG. 1 , in which an optional grip is provided, the fingers receiving opening  8  is separated from the hand reception opening  4  by a crosspiece  7  which runs generally crosswise to the longitudinal extent of the leash handle accessory  10 , and forms a portion of a boundary defining a shape of hand reception opening  4 . 
         [0018]    Turning now to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , an example of the manner in which the hands-free functionality is employed is explained. 
         [0019]    Initially, as shown in  FIG. 2 , a hand H of the user is inserted through the hand reception opening  4  with the width of the hand H oriented along the length L of the hand reception opening  4 , and the palm advantageously facing downward, (away from the viewer, as illustrated). Once inserted, the hand H, with the palm still facing downward, is rotated into the position shown in  FIG. 3 , in which the width of the wrist of the hand H extends across the width W of the hand reception opening  4 . 
         [0020]    Hand reception opening  4  is advantageously configured such that the entire hand H width is accommodatable therethrough in a length dimension L of the hand reception opening  4  when oriented as shown in  FIG. 2  relative to the hand reception opening  4 , and such that when oriented as shown in  FIG. 3 , while the width of the wrist extends across the width of the hand reception opening  4 , advantageously of approximate matching dimension, the width of the hand H exceeds the width dimension W of the hand reception opening  4 , thereby inhibiting unintentional detachment of the leash handle accessory  10  from the hand H when the pet pulls in the direction of the arrow shown in  FIG. 3 . This leaves the fingers of the hand, extending downward though the hand reception opening, fully functional for a required task. 
         [0021]    It will be understood that when leash handle accessory  10  is comprised of an elastomer, which allows the length dimension L and the width dimension W to be enlarged by stretching, these two dimensions can actually be dimensioned smaller than the corresponding hand/wrist dimensions, and still provide proper function according to the invention and within the scope thereof. 
         [0022]    While the hand reception opening  4  can be a simple rectangle, triangle or oval, or other suitable shape, thereby meeting the functional requirement outlined above, in the depicted embodiment, the hand reception opening is advantageously key-hole shaped, that is, defined by two regions of differing width arranged sequentially along the longitudinal direction of the leash handle accessory  10 . 
         [0023]    As noted above, the grip portion need not be provided at all. Nor does a dedicated leash tethering portion  2  providing physical separation of the hand reception opening therefrom, have to be provided. In such instance, only structure defining the hand reception opening  4  would be present, and a leash could be simply tied to a forward portion of the encircling structure defining the hand reception opening  4 . 
         [0024]    In accordance with an alternative embodiment, crosspiece  7  can be fashioned into a suitable form to operate as a hand grip when grip  5  is not provided. Such an embodiment is illustrated in  FIG. 4A , shown by comparison with the embodiment of  FIG. 1  shown side by side in  FIG. 4B . 
         [0025]    As shown in  FIG. 4A , a leash handle accessory  10 ′ includes a hands-free portion  3 ′ which is configured to define a hand reception opening  4 ′, through which a hand of a user is receivable in like manner as to what was described with respect to the embodiments of  FIGS. 1-3 . The crosspiece  7  and grip  5  of the embodiment of  FIG. 1  are combined to form a grip/crosspiece  5 ′ which similarly includes, as an advantageous optional feature, an ergonomic region  5   a ′ which is configured to provide enhanced comfort when grip/crosspiece  5 ′ is held by the user. 
         [0026]    A leash tethering portion  2 ′ through which a leash (not shown) may be looped through and tied in suitable fashion to be retained to the leash handle accessory  10 ′ is optionally provided in the form as shown, in which the leash is advantageously isolated by a physical separation  9 ′ from the hand reception opening  4 ′, analogous with the embodiment of  FIG. 1 . 
         [0027]    The resultant structure of the embodiment of  FIG. 4A , which analogously includes a hand reception opening  4 ′ having a corresponding length dimension L′ and width dimension W′, is more compact than the embodiment of  FIG. 1 , shown for comparison purposes in  FIG. 4B . This will save on cost of materials, and provide a lighter, more easily storable/trasportable product. 
         [0028]    Any suitable material(s) can be used to manufacture the leash handle accessory. For example, as noted above, a suitable elastomer such as natural or synthetic rubber, can be advantageously used. Alternatively, the leash handle accessory according to the invention can be comprised of non-elastic material, or a combination of elastic and non-elastic components. 
         [0029]    As a further option, the leash handle accessory can be comprised of a material in which a glow-in-the-dark component or additive is incorporated, so that enhanced visibility in low light conditions is achieved. 
         [0030]    Having described preferred embodiments of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to those precise embodiments, and that various changes and modifications may be effected therein by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention.