Glow in the dark pet strap

• US 7,980,203 B1
• Filed: 11/13/2008
• Issued: 07/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Daniel C. Orme
• Original Assignee: Derek G. Rubottom, Sarah A. Allen
• Inventors: Allen, Sarah A., Rubottom, Derek G.
• Primary Examiner(s): BERONA, KIMBERLY SUE
• Application Number:
  US12/269,982
• Time in Patent Office: 978 Days
• Field of Search: 119856-860, 119/792
• US Class Current: 119/858
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 27/006 with light-emitting or ornamental devices

Abstract

A pet strap formed of a transparent material, such as plastic or synthetic rubber, with photoluminescent or phosphorescent colored pigment homogeneously dispersed within and incorporated into the elastometric material. The preferred photoluminescent is strontium oxide aluminate or strontium barium aluminate, which emit a yellow-green light. The strap may be disposed to encircle the neck of the pet as a conventional collar with a buckle and strap end retainers. The strap may also be made in various dimensions suitable for pets of all sizes, and may be configured to be trimmed to the desired size. Another embodiment of the pet strap includes a light reversion strip and an underlying or encased fabric reinforcing strip encased within the elastomeric strap adjacent the bottom side of the strap that contacts the pet. The light reversion strip will allow available light to charge the luminescents more proficiently for better performance.

Claims

1. A pet strap, comprising:

a strap disposed to encircle a body part of a pet; and

the strap being formed of a transparent material having homogeneously incorporated luminescent compounds with color pigment, wherein the strap includes an exterior side directed away from the pet, and an interior side disposed in contact with the pet;

a light reverting strip disposed adjacent the interior side of the strap and having a top surface in light communication with the exterior side of the strap; and

,

a fabric reinforcing strip disposed to underlie the top surface of the light reverting strip, wherein light entering the exterior side of the strap is reflected back from the top surface of the light reverting strip through the strap to again charge the luminescent particles.

2. The pet strap of claim 1, wherein the strap includes a first end, a second end, and a fastener disposed to interconnect the first and second ends.

3. The pet strap of claim 2, wherein the fastener is a buckle attached to one of the first and second ends of the strap.

4. The pet strap of claim 3, wherein strap end retainers are slidably attached on the strap and disposed to receive another of the first and second ends of the strap to restrain the collar'"'"'s slack after the collar is cinched up to the desired fit for the pet.

5. The pet strap of claim 4, further including a ring attached to the strap end retainer, the ring being disposed to receive an end of a leash or identification tag.

6. The pet strap of claim 1, wherein the body part is a neck.

7. The pet strap of claim 1, wherein the luminescent compounds are strontium oxide aluminate, strontium barium aluminate or zinc sulfide copper compounds.

8. The pet strap of claim 7, wherein the luminescent compounds with color pigment comprise about thirty weight percent of the strap.

9. The pet strap of claim 1, wherein the luminescent compounds with color pigment comprise about thirty weight percent of the strap.

10. The pet strap of claim 1, wherein the transparent material is translucent plastic.

11. The pet strap of claim 1, wherein the transparent material is synthetic rubber.

12. The pet strap of claim 1, wherein the reverting strip is encased within the strap.

13. The pet strap of claim 1, wherein the reverting strip is attached to the interior underside of the strap.

14. The pet strap of claim 12, wherein the fabric reinforcing strip is encased within the strap.

15. The pet strap of claim 14, wherein the fabric reinforcing strip is encased within the light reverting strip.

16. The pet strap of claim 6, further including a base pet collar disposed to encircle the neck of the pet, spaced from the strap, wherein a loose fit glow-in-the-dark pet strap is connected to a base pet collar by a strap-to-base collar restraining extension (for movement) connector.