Coupling device

• US 7,810,220 B2
• Filed: 04/16/2004
• Issued: 10/12/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Indiana Mills & Manufacturing Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Indiana Mills & Manufacturing Incorporated
• Inventors: Anthony, James R., Dingman, Guy R.
• Primary Examiner(s): MACARTHUR, VICTOR L
• Application Number:
  US10/825,769
• Publication Number:
  US 20040208692A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,370 Days
• Field of Search: 245/991, 245/994, 245/996, 245/997, 246/015, 246/017, 245/995, 119/792, 119/795, 119797-799, 119/863, 292/95, 292/96, 292/108, 292/121, 292/219, 292/296, 292/304, 292/DIG.61
• US Class Current: 24/599.1
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 27/005 Quick-couplings, safety-couplings or shock-absorbing devices between leash and collar
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 45/02 Hooks with pivoting or elastically bending closing member
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 45/023 the closing member pivoting about an axis perpendicular to the plane of the hook
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 45/026 and including a coil type spring
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 45/034 the closing member constituting the hook shaped portion of the hook
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/45319 Pivotally connected gate
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/45335 having means biasing gate about pivot
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/45351 Coil type spring
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/602 by separate spring

Abstract

A coupling device for engagement with an anchor member is provided. The coupling device includes a lever that moves between a closed position that substantially covers the mouth of the device and an open position in which the mouth is substantially uncovered by the lever. The lever may be moved to the open position by camming forces or by direct manipulation of a portion of the lever by a user. The coupling device may include a cover with a recognizable shape such as a pet or fictional character. The protruding ears and/or head of the recognizable shape aid in the gripping and operation of the device and the mouth receives the anchor member.

Claims

1. A coupling device for engaging an anchor member, the coupling device comprising:

a frame defining a top wall and a pair of juxtaposed sides extending downwardly from the top wall to a bottom surface, the frame defining a mouth between the top wall and the bottom surface at one end thereof and an opposite end, the mouth defining an opening thereto, the bottom surface defining an opening between the mouth and the opposite end of the frame, the opening in the bottom surface opening to a void defined between the sides of the frame that is separate from the mouth, and

a lever movably mounted to the frame at a mounting location, the lever having a distal end that is movable relative to the frame between a first position in which the distal end of the lever covers the opening of the mouth and a second position in which the distal end of the lever does not cover the opening of the mouth, the lever defining a manipulation portion between the mounting location and the distal end that extends through and below the opening in the bottom surface of the frame when the distal end is in the first position, the manipulation portion responsive to a direct pushing force applied thereto to extend through the opening in the bottom surface of the frame and into the void defined between the sides of the frame when the lever moves from the first position to the second position, and

a biasing member positioned in the void defined between the sides of the frame, the biasing member extending between the top wall of the frame and the lever, the biasing member biasing the lever toward the first position.

2. The coupling device of claim 1 wherein the biasing member contacts one surface of the manipulation portion of the lever.

3. The coupling device of claim 1 wherein the top wall of the frame defines an opening therethrough separate from the mouth,

and wherein the distal end of the lever extends through and beyond the opening defined in the top wall of the frame when the lever is moved from the first position to the second position.

4. The coupling device of claim 1 further comprising a cover configured to receive the frame and lever therein, the cover defining a first opening therein that aligns with the mouth defined by the frame when the frame is received within the cover such that the mouth defined by the frame is accessible through the first opening defined by the cover when the frame and lever are received within the cover.

5. The coupling device of claim 4 wherein the cover defines a second opening therein that aligns with the opening defined in the bottom surface of the frame when the frame and lever are received within the cover such that the manipulation portion of the lever extends outwardly away from the second opening defined in the cover when the distal end of the lever is in the first position.

6. The coupling device of claim 4 wherein the cover comprises a plurality of external surfaces that are formed in the shapes of corresponding portions of a head of an animal.

7. The coupling device of claim 6 wherein the plurality of external surfaces are formed in the shapes of corresponding portions of a head of a dog.

8. The coupling device of claim 6 wherein the plurality of external surfaces are formed in the shapes of one or more of a pair of ears, a pair of eyes, a nose, a nose ridge, whisker indentations, a rounded head and a rounded forehead, of the animal.

9. The coupling device of claim 4 wherein the mouth defined by the cover is formed in the shape of a mouth of an animal and the distal end of the lever is formed in the shape of a tooth of the animal.

10. The coupling device of claim 9 wherein the mouth defined by the cover is formed in the shape of a mouth of a dog and the distal end of the lever is formed in the shape of a tooth of the dog,

and wherein the cover comprises a plurality of external surfaces that are formed in the shapes of corresponding portions of a head of the dog.

11. The coupling device of claim 10 wherein the plurality of external surfaces are formed in the shapes of one or more of a pair of ears, a pair of eyes, a nose, a nose ridge, whisker indentations, a rounded head and a rounded forehead, of the dog.

12. The coupling device of claim 11 wherein the cover has a color.

13. The coupling device of claim 12 wherein the color is selected from the group consisting of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, black, brown, white, magenta, cyan, violet, purple, tan, pink, and beige.

14. The coupling device of claim 1 further comprising a mounting assembly mounted to the opposite end of the frame, the mounting assembly configured to attach to any of a flexible, semi-flexible, semi-rigid and rigid elongate member.

15. The coupling device of claim 1 wherein the biasing member comprises a spring.

16. The coupling device of claim 15 wherein the spring has an end opposite to the distal end that is movably mounted to the frame at the mounting location,

and wherein the spring contacts the lever between the distal end of the lever and the end opposite to the distal end of the lever.