Patent ID: 7389750

Claim:
An assembly comprising: a leash; a collar; a connector for selectively joining said leash to said collar, said connector having a male section and a female section that create a mechanical interconnection when said male section is inserted into said female section to a locking position; said male section of said connector including, a tubular body having at least one hole; a plunger element disposed within said tubular body that can be selectively moved between a forward position and a rearward position within said tubular body; at least one ball bearing disposed between said tubular body and said plunger element, wherein said ball bearing is biased into said hole in said tubular body to a protruding position when said plunger element is in said forward position; at least one magnet disposed within said female section that magnetically attracts said plunger element into said forward position within said housing when said male section of said connector is inserted into said locking position within said female section; and a release disposed on said connector that selectively releases said mechanical interconnection while said male section is still within said locking position, thereby enabling said male section to be retracted from said locking position.