Receiver collar

• US 7,574,979 B2
• Filed: 03/07/2006
• Issued: 08/18/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Radio Systems Corporation
• Original Assignee: Radio Systems Corporation
• Inventors: Gerig, Duane, Saunders, Craig, Nottingham, John W., Stanca, Nick E.
• Primary Examiner(s): BERONA, KIMBERLY SUE
• Application Number:
  US11/369,507
• Publication Number:
  US 20060191491A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,260 Days
• Field of Search: 119769-772, 119/774, 119/792, 119/793, 119/795, 119/797, 119/856, 119/863, 119/865, 119/859, 119/718, 119/719
• US Class Current: 119/863
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 27/005 Quick-couplings, safety-couplings or shock-absorbing devices between leash and collar
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 27/009 with electric-shock, sound, magnetic- or radio-waves emitting devices

Abstract

An animal collar assembly including a wireless receiver, at least one strap and a connection assembly. The at least one strap includes a first end and a second end, and is connected to the wireless receiver. The connection assembly includes an adjustable constraint and a quick release device. The adjustable constraint is adjustably connected between the first end and the second end of the at least one strap. The quick release device is attached proximate to the second end. The quick release device being releasably connectable to the adjustable constraint.

Claims

1. An animal collar assembly, comprising:

a wireless receiver;

at least one strap including a first end and a second end, said at least one strap being connected to said wireless receiver; and

a connection assembly including;

an adjustable constraint adapted to be removably fixed to said at least one strap at a plurality of locations along said at least one strap, the plurality of locations being between said first end and said second end, sad adjustable constraint being immovable along the length of said at least one strap when it is fixed to said at least one strap at any of the plurality of locations; and

a quick release device attached proximate to said second end, said quick release device being releasably connectable to said adjustable constraint.

2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein said adjustable constraint includes at least one of a buckle and a protrusion.

3. The assembly of claim 2, wherein said quick release device includes at least one captivating arm.

4. The assembly of claim 3, wherein said at least one captivating arm is a plurality of captivating arms.

5. The assembly of claim 4, wherein said plurality of captivating arms include a first captivating arm and a second captivating arm, said first captivating arm being biased in a direction opposite to said second captivating arm.

6. The assembly of claim 5, wherein said quick release device is captivated to said adjustable constraint by sliding said quick release device at least partially into said adjustable constraint.

7. The assembly of claim 5, wherein said quick release device is released from said adjustable constraint by depressing said plurality of captivating arms and sliding said quick release device from said adjustable constraint.

8. The assembly of claim 1, wherein said adjustable constraint is adjustable along said at least one strap thereby altering a neck size of the collar.

9. The assembly of claim 1, wherein said adjustable constraint includes a keying feature and quick release device includes a complimentary keying feature, the keying features of said adjustable constraint and quick release device co-acting to align said adjustable constraint in said quick release device to each other prior to connection.

10. An animal collar, comprising:

at least one strap including a first end and a second end, said at least one strap being connectable to a wireless receiver; and

a connection assembly including;

an adjustable constraint adapted to be removably fixed to said at least one strap at a plurality of locations along sad at least one strap, the plurality of locations being between said first end and said second end, said adjustable constraint being immovable along the length of said at least one strap when it is fixed to said at least one strap at any of the plurality of locations; and

a quick release device attached proximate to said second end, said quick release device being releasably connectable to said adjustable constraint.

11. The collar of claim 10, wherein said adjustable constraint includes at least one of a buckle and a protrusion.

12. The collar of claim 11, wherein said quick release device includes said at least one captivating arm.

13. The collar of claim 12, wherein said at least one captivating arm is a plurality of captivating arms.

14. The collar of claim 13, wherein said plurality of captivating arms include a first captivating arm and a second captivating arm, said first captivating arm being biased in a direction opposite to said second captivating arm.

15. The collar of claim 14, wherein said quick release device is captivated to said adjustable constraint by sliding said quick release device at least partially into said adjustable constraint.

16. The collar of claim 14, wherein said quick release device is released from said adjustable constraint by depressing said plurality of captivating arms and sliding said quick release device from said adjustable constraint.

17. The collar of claim 10, wherein said adjustable constraint is adjustable along said at least one strap thereby altering a neck size of the collar.

18. A method of adjusting a behavior modification collar, comprising the steps of

depressing at least one tab on a quick release device thereby releasing said quick release device from an adjustable constraint of a connection assembly;

altering the connection point of said adjustable constraint along a length of a strap of the collar, the connection point being one of a plurality of connection points along the length of the strap, said adjustable constraint being immovable along the length of the strap of the collar when connected at any of the plurality of connection points; and

sliding said quick release device at least partially into said adjustable constraint to connect said quick release device to said adjustable constraint.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said at least one tab includes a first tab and a second tab, said first tab being a portion of a first captivating arm, said second tab being a portion of a second captivating arm.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said first captivating arm and said second captivating arm are biased in opposite directions from each other.