(2) United States Patent Lalor (54) ANIMAL COLLAR (76) Ioventor: Tom Lalor, 122 Garden Ave., North Vancouver, Brtsh Columbia (CA), VP 3H (4) Notice: Subject o any disclaimer, the term ofthis, patent is extended or adjusted under 35 USC. 1540) by 0 days 21) Appl. No. 101634467 (2) Filed: Aug. 5, 2003 AOIK 15/02; A628 25/00 119}859; 1197720 1197859, 8 1197718, 719, 720, 66) References Cited U.S, PATENT DOCUMENTS 44762088 A * $1988 Chapman ot 9880 5550.08 A 9/1996. Weick ot al 340573 Sins.i6 A 21007 Kim et a naan 5536397 A 6/1997 Van Curent al vos 197720 S7wvs18 A 9198 Van Curen etal oe 19721 S0U198 A 6/1999 Nan Guten et al oe 197720 SO1LI99 A * 6/1999 Farkas a 9iss0 5013286 A 6/1900 Wan Goren ct aves 197720 Sox3251 A 71999 Brune MOST Som22s A 81900 Willams 1193859 DaI7aas § Wiliams 8356 010066 A * Taylor 9720 658.880 A. Van Outen et nose 19724 USOD6830014B1 US 6,830,014 BL Dec. 14, 2004 (10) Patent No.: (45) Date of Patent: 607358 A 62000 Van Caen et a ne 119720 6163261 A 122000 Wesck Most 6184790 BL 22001 Gerig HOSTS 6327999 BL 122001 Gerig 972 6300697 BI 3202 Wiliams isna0 643122 BL SIH Westick ea. 9721 66459378 B2_ 1002 Gerig MOST 6712005 BD * 3200 Paton ea gym + cited by examiner Primary Examiner—Coasles , Fords “Assistant Exaniner—Elizabeth Shaw (7A) Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Andeus, wall, LLP on Secale, Starke & applied to the animal's neck by one or more simlatn electrodes or sensors that extend from or through an insi surface ofthe collar housing into the skin ofthe animal during use, an to permit the collar o be securely fastened to the neck ofthe animal without risk of easing discomfort ‘or damage to the skin of the animal due to pressure from the stimulating electrodes, The inside surface of the collar housing has one or more high point suefaces that are raised tw extend the inside surface above the base of the stimulating clecteodes or sensors toward the animal during use 03810 increase contact between the inside surface and the animal's skia and to thereby relieve and distribute the load caused by collar tension around the animal’ nek over a larger contact friction areaU.S. Patent Dee. 14, 2004 Sheet 1 of 7 US 6,830,014 BL Pressure Points A B PRIOR ART FIG. 1 —————— 7 PRIOR ART FIG.2U.S. Patent Dee. 14, 2004 Sheet 2 of 7 US 6,830,014 BL PRESSURE POINTS % ot CONTACT 1 Zs racren 77 LU.S. Patent Dee. 14, 2004 Sheet 3 of 7 US 6,830,014 BL MIG.5 2 } Small Dog < Medium Dog © Large Dog FIG.6 ‘60 FIG.7US. Patent Dee. 14, 2004 Sheet 4 of 7 US 6,830,014 BL FIG.8 FIG.9U.S. Patent Dee. 14, 2004 Sheet 5 of 7 US 6,830,014 BL 62, Az 69 65 FIG. 11U.S. Patent Dee. 14, 2004 Sheet 6 of 7 US 6,830,014 BL FIG. 13U.S. Patent Dee. 14, 2004 Sheet 7 of 7 US 6,830,014 BL FIG.14US 6,830,014 BI 1 ANIMAL COLLAR FIELD OF THE INVENTION ‘The present invention relates to animal collars, and in particular to dog collars of the type that have one or more clectrodes or sensors which protrude lzom the inside suface of the collar for contacting the neck of the animal and clectronie devices located within the body of the collar to receive electronic contol signals or sensor input and to generate a stimulus, whieh & transmitted (0 the animal through the electrades or by «speaker on the cola BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Various electonic animal collarsype taining aids are known for enabling, an animal tai 10 encourage or discourage outain behaviour in animals, such 38 dogs. The devices may be used to discourage barking oF digging, oF contain the animal within a dened ara Geoeally the wainer uses wansmiter capable of send {ng electronic signals, such cad lrequncy (RE) signal, to a receiver unit contained within a bosike enclosure strapped around the animal's ack (ee FIG. 1—Prioe At) ‘The ansmiter unit may be «tionary boundary unit, 3 stationary eznally Iced uni, or « portable transmits carted bythe trainer as pat ofa remote contol unit. Also contained within the hoxlke enelosure strapped 10 the animal ate a power supply and a signal generator for generating a simuhis (normally an electric sts) tha is transmitted to the animal tough one or more elect, ‘which protrde from the inside surface of the boxlike enclosure and pres into the neck ofthe animal. respoase to signals reocived by the receiver fom the transmits, a volage is aplied othe oe oF more clctodes to provide an electri stimilaton to the animal when it exbibitsunde- Sirble behaviour. device of this ype is shown in FIG. L othe present application and isalso sown and described in US. Pt. No, 6327989, issued to Duane A, Getg on Dec 11, 2002 ‘As shown ia FIGS. 1 and 2, curently available animal cellars 1 generally comprise 4 boxlike colar housing 2 attachable to the animal's neck using srap 3. One or mose electrodes 4 ypiealy protrude from an inside surface 8 of boxlke colle housing 2 between inch (0 95 cm) and inch (1.9 em), Elecuodes 4 generally have cots points approximately inch (032 em) in diameter. One problem ‘with such collars, i that thei eflectiveness is Limited y the ‘mount of cotac that canbe obtained between electrades 4 andthe animal's skin 6. Gtig the proper tension hes cellar equites sonsderable experience and many inexper- coved tuners over tighten of undee tighten the devices oui the animal's neck. The problem with the electonie cells ofthe prior at is that 90% ofthe collar tensioning loud i concentrated om the tiny electrodes 4, which ja into tne animal's neck. Ths euses animal discomfort, and over time, the electodes can arm te animal by easing sores I the collars axe worn loses, sulicieat electodeskin contact can he Tost when the animal runs or shakes ise, especially wien the animal becomes wet So cilledno-bak collars‘ the prior et ae simi t the clectonie collars described above, and shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, except, in place of the receverjransmitier combination, ao-back calls have a bak sensor gencaly located om inside surface 8. The ark sensor is similar 6 the fe or more electrodes 4 ane is designed to contact the smal’ eck and delet vibrations scoiated with backing. s 2 ‘When such vibrations are detected, an electric stimulus is transmited tothe animal through the one or more electrodes 4440 deter the barking behaviour. No-bark collars and other similar collars used ia various animal containment systems oe snimal isining systems, safer from the same disadvantages described above, would therefore be advantageous if a electronic collar device was developed that-could permit sufcient electrode skin contact to allow the device be effective, and yet provide ‘comfort tothe animal snd prevent damage and sas [BRIEP SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION is an objet of one aspect of the present invention 10 ‘provide an animal collar that ovezcomes one or mare ofthe fabove shortcomings, Its an object of another aspeet ofthe present invention to provide an animal collar tht reduces and distributes the tensioning load applied tothe animal's neck by the simu lating eleczodes of sensors is an object of another aspect ofthe present invention to provide an animal collar that cun be securely fastened to the neck ofthe animal and that reduces the risk of causing discomfort or damage to the skin of the animal due 10 ‘pressure from the simulating electaes or sensors. iely the present invention provides an elettnie ani- smal collar designed to reduce the load applied 10 the animal's neck by one or more stimulating electrodes oF sensors that extend from or through an inside surface ofthe collar housing into the skin of the animal during use, and to permit the collat to be securely fastened tothe neck ofthe ‘animal without isk of easing discomfort or damage tothe skin of the animal due to pressure from the stimulating leteodes The inside sufaceof he collar housing has one ‘or more high point surfaces that extend the inside surface above the electrode base and towards the animal so as to relieve and distrbute the load caused by collae tension round the animal's neck over larger eonact ition area ‘The high point surfaces intersect with a notional 90-leyree plane extending from aay point, located above the electrode fr sensor base whee it inersects with the inside surface of the collar housing, on a central longitudinal axis of any of the one oF more electrodes of sensors. ‘Accoxding to one aspect of the preset iaveatin, thee is provided an animal collar designed for attachment 10 aa animal comprising:a collar housing having an inside surface directed toward the animal during use; atleast one electro intersecting the inside surface al an electrade base and extending toward the animal during use; the inside surface Fhaving atleast one high point surface extending above the cletrode based and toward the animal during use. ‘According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an animal collar designed for attachment 0 fan animal having stimulating unit for generating a stimulus, and one of mare electrodes for transferring the stimulus’ tothe animal, the collar comprising: 2 collar ‘ousing for containing the simulating unit; de collar bous- ing having an inside surface designed for contacting the skin ofthe animal during use, cach of the one or more electrodes intersecting the inside surface al an electrode base and extending toward the animal during use; the inside surface hhaving atleast one bigh point surface extending above the cletrode based and toward the animal during use, According 10 a further aspect of the present invention, there is also provided an animal collar designed for attach: ‘meni {0 an animal comprising: collar housing having aa