Retractable leash

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9723816-B2
Application number	US-201514708153-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 8, 2015
Priority date	Sep 5, 2012
Publication date	Aug 8, 2017
Grant date	Aug 8, 2017

Abstract

A two or more subject retractable leash, and methods of use thereof, is disclosed, which includes a roll-back feature on each retractable leash. The leashes may be locked in place by engaging a single lever. The leashes retract regardless of whether the spools are locked or unlocked. Each leash retracts independently of the other leashes, such that a dual leash may be used to walk one subject. In some embodiments, a single subject retractable leash includes a roll-back feature that provides and allows for leash retraction, whether or not a brake associated with a spool thereof is engaged.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A retractable leash comprising:
a housing;
a handle associated with said housing;
a leash;
a spool operable to engage said leash, said spool rotationally biased to urge said leash into a spooled configuration; and
a brake, said brake configured to engage with said spool by operation of a pawl associated with a select lever, said select lever comprising a cam slot, a cam surface, and a pawl tab, said pawl tab cooperatively associated with a spring disposed within said housing, such that said spool is prevented from rotating in an unspooling direction when said brake is engaged, but wherein said spool is enabled to rotate in a spooling direction when said brake is engaged.

2. The retractable leash of claim 1 , wherein spinning in said unspooling direction of said spool is enabled when said brake is not engaged with said spool.

3. The retractable leash of claim 1 , wherein said spool further comprises a braking notch and a pawl clearance area.

4. The retractable leash of claim 1 , wherein said brake further comprises two pawls biased to engage said spool.

5. The retractable leash of claim 4 , wherein said pawls are biased to engage said spool by cooperation with said spring.

6. The retractable leash of claim 1 , wherein said spool further comprises a braking notch and a pawl clearance area, and wherein said brake further comprises a pawl biased to engage said spool by abutting said braking notch when said brake is engaged.

7. The retractable leash of claim 6 , wherein said spool further comprises a cam surface, and wherein said pawl is configured to travel along said cam surface when said brake is engaged and said spool is enabled to rotate in a spooling direction.

8. A retractable leash comprising:
a housing, said housing comprising a handle;
a leash operably affixed to a spool within said housing; said spool rotationally biased within said housing to wind said leash upon said spool; said spool further comprising a braking notch, a pawl clearance area, and a cam surface; and
a brake, said brake configured to engage with said spool by operation of a pawl associated with a select lever, said select lever comprising a cam slot, a cam surface, and a pawl tab, said pawl tab cooperatively associated with a spring disposed within said housing, such that said spool is prevented from rotating in an unspooling direction when said brake is engaged, but wherein said spool is enabled to rotate in a spooling direction when said brake is engaged;
an actuator button associated with said housing, and configured to cooperate with said select lever;
said brake, when activated, urging said pawl into said pawl clearance area, said pawl configured to engage said braking notch when said spool is rotated in an unwinding direction, and to engage said cam surface when said spool is rotated in a winding direction.

9. The retractable leash of claim 8 wherein said select lever enables a locking condition.

10. The retractable leash of claim 8 , wherein said select lever enables a free spooling condition.

11. The retractable leash of claim 8 , wherein said select lever enables a roll-back or retraction condition.

12. The retractable leash of claim 8 , wherein said actuator button further comprises an inclined surface, and said select lever comprises a cam surface.

13. The retractable leash of claim 12 , wherein said inclined surface bears against said cam surface when said actuator button is depressed.

14. The retractable leash of claim 13 , wherein when said actuator button is depressed, said leash is enabled to roll-up.

15. The retractable leash of claim 8 wherein said select lever further enables a leash take-up position and a free spooling position.

16. A retractable leash comprising:
a housing, said housing comprising a handle;
a leash operably affixed to a spool within said housing; said spool rotationally biased within said housing to wind said leash upon said spool; said spool further comprising in association with each side of said spool a plurality of braking notches, a plurality of pawl clearance areas, and a plurality of cam surfaces; and
a brake, said brake configured to engage with said spool by operation of a pawl associated with a select lever, said select lever comprising a cam slot, a cam surface, and a pawl tab, said pawl tab cooperatively associated with a spring disposed within said housing, such that said spool is prevented from rotating in an unspooling direction when said brake is engaged, but wherein said spool is enabled to rotate in a spooling direction when said brake is engaged;
said brake, when activated, urging said each of said pawls into said pawl clearance areas on a respective side of said spool, said pawls each configured to engage a said braking notch on a respective side of said spool when said spool is rotated in an unwinding direction, and to engage a said cam surface on a respective side of said spool when said spool is rotated in a winding direction; and
an actuator button carrying a portion configured to engage with a portion of said select lever, and thereby to lock said brake against leash play-out when so engaged, but further to allow leash roll-back.

17. The retractable leash of claim 16 , wherein said actuator button further comprises an inclined surface, and said select lever comprises a cam surface.

18. The retractable leash of claim 17 , wherein said inclined surface bears against said cam surface when said actuator button is depressed.

19. The retractable leash of claim 18 , wherein when said actuator button is depressed, said leash is enabled to roll-up.

20. The retractable leash of claim 19 , wherein said select lever enables a leash take-up position, a leash locking position, and a leash free spooling position.

Assignees

• Doskocil Mfg

Inventors

• O'Brien Carolyn
• Evans John C

Classifications

• B65H75/406

  hand-held during use (B65H75/48, B65H75/4473 take precedence) · CPC title

• A01K27/004 Primary

  Retractable leashes · CPC title

• B65H75/4431

  Manual stop or release button · CPC title