Patent ID: 7819088

Claim:
A retractable pet leash, comprising a leash housing having an interior chamber and an outlet communicating with said chamber, a spool supported in said housing for rotation in first and second directions relative to an axis of rotation, said spool including a cylindrical outer surface and a planar flange radiating outwardly from the outer surface, said flange being generally perpendicular to the axis of rotation, an elongated pet leash, at least in part, wrapped about said spool, said leash having rearward and forward end portions, a first wire of electrically conductive material extending between said end portions, and an illuminatable light proximate to the forward end portion of said leash and in electrical circuit relation with said wire, wherein said rearward end portion is secured to said spool and the forward end portion is disposed in said outlet, the forward end portion defining a free end of the leash that is connectable to a pet collar and adapted to move relative to the outlet in a first direction wherein the leash is retracted in the housing and wrapped about the spool and in a second direction wherein the leash is extended outwardly and away from the housing and unwound from the spool, a spring biased retractor mechanism for normally biasing the spool to rotate in said first direction only wherein to retract and wrap the leash thereabout, means for releasably locking and permitting the spool to rotate relative to the housing, means for generating an electrical current upon rotation of the spool relative to the housing, said means for generating an electrical current including a second wire of electrically conductive material having opposite ends and coiled into the shape of a torus, and at least one magnet having a magnetic field and slidably disposed inside said torus, said torus being fixedly secured to the spool for rotation therewith and in concentric relation with the axis of rotation of said spool wherein rotation of the spool causes said magnet to slide relative to the coil and an electrical current to be induced, and electrical circuitry for connecting the opposite ends of the torus and the second end of the leash wire in electrical circuit relation with one another, wherein said torus is fixedly mounted to the flange in encircling relation about the outer surface and in coaxial relation to said axis of rotation.