Animal husbandry – Animal controlling or handling – Hitching or tethering
Reexamination Certificate
2000-01-27
2001-06-19
Jordan, Charles T. (Department: 3644)
Animal husbandry
Animal controlling or handling
Hitching or tethering
C119S771000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06247428
ABSTRACT:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
(Not Applicable).
STATEMENT RE: FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH/DEVELOPMENT
(Not Applicable).
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The use of leashes to walk dogs and other pets are well-known in the art. In this regard, leashes provide a tether between the pet and the individual walking the pet to thus keep the pet in close proximity and under control. Along these lines, most leashes currently in use comprise elongate cords, comprised of leather, rope, and the like that are attachable at one end to a collar placed around the pet's neck. The respective other end is typically provided with a loop or handle to provide means for grasping and controlling the leash.
While generally effective in restraining the leeway a pet has to stray away from the individual responsible for walking such pet, such conventional leashes have numerous drawbacks. Specifically, most conventional leashes, because of their flexible cord-like nature, enable the pet bound thereby to move in virtually any direction, which may be contrary to the direction desired by the individual walking the pet. This problem is especially exacerbated when more than one pet is walked by a single person. In this regard, multiple leashes can and frequently do become tangled with one another. Moreover, the individual walking such pets has a tendency to lose control insofar as each respective pet rarely tends to follow the exact same direction as the other, which thus requires the individual walking such pets to continuously pull and guide the pets toward an intended direction, often by using both hands. As a result, walking multiple pets with conventional leashes can become tiresome and stressful. Furthermore, pain and injury can be inflicted to the pets themselves because of the need to continuously pull and tug the animal in one continuous direction.
While attempts in the art have been made to modify conventional leashes, such advancements have not addressed the foregoing problems. Perhaps the most well-known of such advances include retractable leashes which enable the length of the leash to be selectively lengthened to thus control the distance by which the pet may stray from the individual walking the same. Such devices, however, do not guide or urge the pet to walk in any particular direction and, likewise, fail to facilitate the handling of one or more additional pets being concurrently walked by a single person.
As such, there is a substantial need in the art for an animal walking device that enables at least two pets to be simultaneously controlled with one mechanism during walking. There is further a need in the art for an animal-walking device that enables at least two animals to be simultaneously and controllably walked in a single direction by a single person. Still further, there is a need in the art for a multiple animal walking device that is of simple construction, easy to use, may be utilized with a variety of animals, is inexpensive to manufacture, and is exceptionally durable.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention specifically addresses and alleviates the above-identified deficiencies in the art. In this regard, the present invention is directed to a multiple pet walker that enables two or more pets to be simultaneously walked by a single person that empowers such person with a greater ability to control such pets, as well as the direction in which the pets walk. According to a preferred embodiment, the device comprises an elongate shaft member having proximal and distal ends in combination with a second cross-bar member, the latter being formed at the distal-most end of the elongate shaft member. The elongate shaft member and cross-bar member are preferably configured such that the same cooperate to define a generally T-shape. Formed on the proximal-most end of the elongate shaft member is a grip member to enable the device to be manually grasped by an individual. On the respective opposed ends of the cross bar are leash members that may be connected to a collar worn about the neck of a given pet, such as a dog.
In alternative preferred embodiments, the device may be formed to have a generally Y-shape or generally U-shape such that the distal end of the device accommodates at least two pets to be attached to a dedicated end thereof. The device of the present invention may further be formed to have a generally forked-shape to thus enable three or more pets to be simultaneously walked and controlled thereby. The device may be fabricated from any of a variety of materials known in the art, including but not limited to wood, metal, and/or plastic. The device of the present invention may further be sized to accommodate animals of varying size.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a multiple pet walker that facilitates the ability to control and handle at least two (2) pets concurrently walked by a single person.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a multiple pet walker that enables a single person to control the direction by which such pets are walked.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a multiple pet walker that can controllably maintain in fixed spatial relation the distance two or more pets may be concurrently walked by a single person.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a multiple pet walker that can be selectively sized and adapted to enable such device to accommodate pets of varying size.
Still further object of the present invention is to provide a multiple pet walker that is of simple construction, easy to use, inexpensive to manufacture, exceptionally durable, and more effective than prior art devices utilized to facilitate walking two or more pets simultaneously.
REFERENCES:
patent: D. 337396 (1993-07-01), Werner
patent: 5080045 (1992-01-01), Reese et al.
patent: 5551379 (1996-09-01), Hart
patent: 5701848 (1997-12-01), Tozawa
Abbott Yvonne R.
Jordan Charles T.
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