Patent ID: 7530334

Claim:
A shock absorber for connection to a dog leash, comprising: an open-ended tubular resilient flexible polymer composition body having first and second ends, said resilient flexible polymer composition body having a co-efficient of elasticity not more than about 2×10 3 , an open tubular spring stop within said open-ended tubular resilient flexible polymer composition body, said spring stop being adjacent said first end of said open-ended tubular resilient flexible polymer composition body; a compression spring within said open-ended tubular resilient flexible polymer composition body, said spring engaging against said open tubular spring stop within said open-ended tubular resilient flexible polymer composition body; a flexible tension member having first and second ends, said flexible tension member having said first end attached to said compression spring, said second end of said flexible tension member extending out of said tubular spring stop in said first end of said body without sealing therein; first attachment structure on said second end of said flexible tension member; and second attachment structure on said second end of said open-ended tubular resilient flexible polymer composition body so that one of said attachment structures can be attached to a dog collar and the other of said attachment structures can be attached to a dog leash to absorb shock therebetween by both compression of said spring and resilient elongation of said body without air pressure buildup within said body; wherein said spring stop is a first spring stop which is positioned adjacent said first end of said open-ended tubular resilient flexible polymer composition body and there is a second spring stop within said flexible resilient tubular body which is positioned adjacent said second end of said flexible tubular body and said compression spring is a first compression spring and there is additionally a second compression spring, said first compression spring engaging against said first spring stop and second compression spring engaging said second spring stop, said first attachment structure being attached to said first compression spring and said second attachment structure being attached to said second compression spring; and wherein said second attachment structure is attached to said second compression spring by means of a second flexible tension member, both said first and second flexible tension members being first and second metal cables respectively, said first flexible metal cable being attached to said first compression spring by a first connector cap, said second flexible metal cable being attached to said second compression spring by a second connector cap, said first and second connector caps respectively being swaged onto said first and second flexible metal cables.