Ball launching pads for retractable dog leads

Abstract

A ball pad 1 for a retractable dog lead 2 for use in retaining and launching the ball 4. The pad 1 is fixed to the exterior of the retractable dog lead 2 and holds a ball 4. The pad may consist of hoo

Description

Field of the Invention The present invention relates to ball launching pads for retractable dog leads. Background The use of retractable dog leads is common place and they offer an alternative to non-retractable leads for all dog users. The leads in the art provide an extending lead which is rotatably spooled inside the lead body and extends for many meters, which varies, allowing the dog to walk or run ahead but still remain under safe control of the owner. These leads are provided for all sizes of dogs and the lead body size tends to be smaller for a smaller dog and larger for a larger dog and the lead width and extension length also varies in the differing ranges of products. Wien a person is walking their dog, they often wish to play ball with them by either throwing the ball or launching it from well known ball launchers. The ball launchers commonly have to be purchased separately at some cost and have a plastic elongate handle and to its extremity is a shaped moulded holder for the ball. The ball is then released when the launcher is swung, usually using an overarm arm swing above the head. These types of ball launchers have to be carried by the dog owner for the whole journey of the walk and may only actually be used for a relatively short period on the walk. The owner then has to carry the ball launcher for the remainder of the journey, which on a hot day when pockets are not available, for example, as would be on a jacket, there is nowhere to store it. The ball launchers of this type can be held in clothing pockets on long shorts, such as the long pockets on combat style shorts, but this can create restriction and discomfort for the walk. Most walkers tend to either carry them by hand or in a bag, which again adds to the carrying of items. The prior art therefore shows that there is a need for a more effective way of launching a ball for a dog without the need for any added physical equipment whatsoever. The present invention aims to provide at least one rubber or material pad which is permanently fixed to the exterior of a retractable dog lead body, to be used as a launching pad for hitting or launching a ball using the retractable dog lead body. The pads may also be fitted on both sides of said dog lead body for right and left handed use and the pads may also be made of micro hook &pile material to enable a tennis ball (the pile) to stick to the pad (the micro hooks) and be carried on the pad until it is required to be launched. Summary of the invention According to the present invention there are provided rubber or material pads which are permanently fixed to the round portion on the exterior of a retractable dog lead body to enable the lead body to hit or launch a ball. Each pad is used to hit or launch balls for any form of human to human play and also for a dog when walking the dog. A dog lead may have a pad on each side in the mirror location to each other, for use with right and left handed people, or if a couple share a single dog lead but have different right and left handed preferences. A single pad may be applied to a dog lead if, for example, only one person uses the dog lead and they are right handed, or vice versa. The pads may be added to a dog lead body exterior as a self-adhesive stick-on pad or fixed I inset onto the dog lead body surface during manufacture using known production methods, to a chosen side or both sides of the body lead body exterior. The dog lead body usually has a handle adjacent to said round shaped frontal portion inside which the retracting reel spool for the lead length is housed, commonly being a long belt type or leash cord. This round shaped frontal portion usually forms a round flat or very slightly concaved exterior on both sides of the dog lead body exterior onto which the self-adhesive pads are fixed. Therefore, the pads may be sized to universally suit most dog lead body exteriors in common sizes of this frontal portion of the dog lead body exterior which is found over different ranges of leads or different sizes of pads may also be provided. When using stick on pads, the user ensures that the surface of the dog lead body exterior is clean and then peels off a backing paper to reveal the self-adhesive rear of the pad and aligns it to fix the pad to the aforementioned reel spool housing exterior, as shown in the accompanying Figures. The pad is preferably made of a rubber or a material which has a thickness of at least 2mm or more and a slight pliancy and give to its surface, to help absorb impact of a ball. Prior to use of the dog lead body for hitting or launching a ball, the hook which is for attaching the lead length to the dogs harness or collar may be wrapped around the handle by it being passed underneath and through the top of the dog lead handle and re-connected back onto itself, with the hook clasping onto the lead cord or belt to ensure it is unable to swing during use. As shown in Figure 2. The user then holds the dog lead in a position where the rubber or material pad is ready to connect with the dogs ball and then may toss the ball and strike it, in a chosen style, for example, underarm or overarm. As when using a bat and ball in other styles of play. The pad may also be made of other material, as aforementioned, which may include a low tack micro hook material to enable a tennis type ball, with a textured pile exterior, to adhere to the pad. This low tack micro hook surface of the pad allows for a tennis style ball to be actually carried on the pad while the dog lead is being used with the dog attached, for the periods of the dog walking session when the ball is not being used. As shown in Figure 6. The low tack of the micro hook material is sufficient to hold the ball in place while walking, but is low enough in its grip onto the ball to be released off the pad and launched by using an arm swing. When ball play is desired, the user disconnects the leads hook from the dog harness or collar to enable the dog to run freely and may wrap it around the handle by passing the hook underneath and through the top of the dog lead handle and re-connected back onto itself, with the hook clasping onto the lead cord or belt, to ensure it is unable to swing obstructively during use, as aforementioned. The user then swings back the arm which is holding the dog lead body with the ball attached to it, and swings their arm forward, in the usual manner when hitting or launching a ball in the air, this sudden swing releases the ball from its held position releasably hooked by its pile surface on to the low tack micro hook material pad and launches the ball for the dog to chase. Following play with the ball and dog, the user unhooks the hook from under the top of the dog lead handle to its original position at the front of the dog lead body and I or reattaches it to the dogs harness or collar. In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the Patent Office and the public generally, and especially the scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide new and improved ball launching pads for retractable dog leads which have all the advantages of the prior art ball launchers and none of the disadvantages. It is another object of the present invention to provide new ball launching pads for retractable dog leads which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed. It is a further object of the present invention to provide new ball launching pads for retractable dog leads which are of durable and reliable construction. An even further object of the present invention is to provide new ball launching pads for retractable dog leads which are susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labour, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such a product available to the buying public. Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide new ball launching pads for retractable dog leads which provide in the apparatuses and methods of the prior art some of the advantages thereof, while simultaneously overcoming some of the disadvantages normally associated therewith. These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and detailed descriptive matter in which there is illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention. Brief description of figures Figure 1 shows a dimensional view of the ball launching pad for a retractable dog lead. Figure 2 shows a side view of the ball launching pad for a retractable dog lead, with the dog lead hook wrapped around the handle. Figure 3 shows a dimensional view of the ball launching pad on the dog lead body being used to launch a dogs ball, with an underarm swing. Figure 4 shows a dimensional view of the ball launching pad on a dog lead being used to launch a dogs ball, with an overarm swing. Figure 5 shows a dimensional view of the ball launching pad made of micro hook material with a tennis style ball being attached. Figure 6 shows a dimensional view of the ball launching pad made of micro hook material with a tennis style ball attached to it. Figure 7 shows a dimensional view of the ball launching pad made of micro hook material being used and the ball being released from the pad using an overarm swing. Figure 8 shows a dimensional close up view of the tennis style ball being released from the micro hook material pad by means of swinging the dog lead body. Figure 9 shows a dimensional view of two ball launching pads being applied to both sides of a retractable dog lead body. Figure 10 shows a front elevation of the ball launching pads applied to both sides of a retractable dog lead body. Figure 11 shows a front elevation of thicker ball launching pads applied to both sides of a retractable dog lead body. Figure 12 shows a front elevation example of a single ball launching pad on the side of the dog lead body when used by a typical right handed person. Detailed description of figures A typical embodiment of the ball launching pad for retractable dog leads is shown in Figure 1. The dog lead has the usual known lead controls and a hook 9 to attach the lead length to the dogs harness or collar (not shown), in the known way and a handle 10. The launching pad 1 which is fixed to the dog lead body 2 on its exterior body 3 and the launching pad 1 is used to hit or launch a ball 4, when the dog lead is swung 7 to connect with said ball 4. This is shown in Figure 1. The dog lead body 2A is shown with a launching pad 1A and the hook 9A wrapped around the handle 10 by passing the hook 9 underneath and through the top of the dog lead handle 10 and re-connected back onto itself, with the hook clasping onto the lead cord or belt, to ensure it is unable to swing during use, as shown in Figure 2. Figure 3 shows the dog lead body 2B with the launching pad 1B being used to launch a ball using an underarm swing 7B launching the ball 4B on a forward trajectory 5B. The ball 4C has been launched using an overarm swing 7C in Figure 4, with the launching pad on the dog lead body 2C creating a forward trajectory 5C. A micro hook material launching pad 1D may be fixed to the exterior body 3D and the ball (tennis style) 4D adheres to the launching pad 1D, as shown in Figure 5. The ball 4E is shown attached to the micro hook material launching pad 1E on the dog lead body 2E, in Figure 6. The ball 4F has been launched using an overarm swing 7F in Figure 7 to release the ball 4F from its attachment to the micro hook material launching pad 1F, with point of release 6 shown. Figure 8 shows a closer dimensional view of what is described in Figure 7. Two launching pads 1H can be attached to both sides of the dog leads exterior body 3H using self-adhesive backing, for right and left handed use, as shown in Figure 9. Figure 10 shows the launching pads 11 on both sides of the dog lead body 21. Figure 11 shows thicker launching pads 1J on both sides of the dog lead body 2 J Figure 12 shows a single launching pad 1K on one side of the dog lead body 2K, this example would typically be used by a right handed person to launch or hit a ball. Should a left handed person, who is the only person who uses the lead, wish to use the launching pad to launch or hit a ball, they would have the pad typically on the opposite side of the dog lead body.

Claims

1) Ball launching pads for retractable dog leads comprising; rubber or material pads which are permanently fixed to exterior surface of the round frontal portion on a retractable dog lead body, to enable the dog lead body to be used to hit or launch a ball for any form of human to human play and for a dog when walking the dog, the pads may also be made of a low tack micro hook material to enable a tennis type ball, with a textured pile exterior, to adhere to the pad, this type of ball may be carried on the dog lead body while attached to the pad when walking a dog and then launched from said pad during ball play.2) Ball launching pads for retractable dog leads as claimed in to claim 1 wherein the dog lead may have a pad on each side of said dog lead body in the mirror location to each other, for use with right and left handed people, or if a couple share a single dog lead but have different right and left handed preferences.3) Ball launching pads for retractable dog leads as claimed in to claim 2 wherein a single pad may be applied to said dog lead body if, for example, only one person uses the dog lead and they are right handed, or vice versa4) Ball launching pads for retractable dog leads as claimed in to claim 3 wherein the pads may be added to a dog lead body exterior as a self-adhesive stick-on pad or fixed I inset onto the dog lead body surface during manufacture using known production methods, to a chosen side or both sides of the body lead body exterior.5) Ball launching pads for retractable dog leads as claimed in to claim 4 wherein the pads may be sized to universally suit the most common size of this frontal portion of the dog lead body exterior, found over different ranges of leads or different sizes of pads may be provided to suit differing lead bodies.6) Ball launching pads for retractable dog leads as claimed in to claim 5 wherein the rubber pads may have a slight pliancy and give to absorb some of the ball impact during play.7) Ball launching pads for retractable dog leads as claimed in to claim 6 wherein prior to use of the dog lead body for hitting or launching a ball, the hook which is for attaching the lead length to the dogs harness or collar may be wrapped around the handle; by it being passed underneath and through the top of the dog lead handle and re-connected back onto itself, with the hook clasping onto the lead cord or belt to ensure it is unable to swing disruptively during use.8) Ball launching pads for retractable dog leads as claimed in to claim 7 wherein, in use, the user holds the dog lead body by the handle in a position where the pad is ready to connect with the ball and then may toss the ball and strike it, in a chosen style, for example, underarm or overarm.9) Ball launching pads for retractable dog leads as claimed in to claim 8 wherein, in use, the ball attached to the micro hook material pad is launched from said pad by swinging back their arm and hand which is holding the dog lead with the ball attached to it, and swings their arm forward, in the usual overarm manner when hitting a ball in the air, this sudden swing releases the ball from its low tack held position releasably hooked by its pile surface on to the micro hook material pad and launches the ball for the dog to chase.10) Ball launching pads for retractable dog leads as claimed in to claim 9 wherein, in use, following play with the ball and dog, the user unhooks the hook from under the top of the dog lead handle to its original position at the front of the dog lead body and / or reattaches it to the dog’s harness or collar.

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