Back Closure Animal Harness

1. Field of Invention

This invention relates to animal harnesses, specifically those for domestic animals.

2. Description of Prior Art

Heretofore animal harnesses have usually closed on an animal's underside as in U.S. Pat. No. 4,982,700 to Gordon (1991), U.S. Pat. No. 5,370,083 to Sporn (1994), British Patent 521,358 to Osborne (1940) and British Patent 648,603 to Catlett (1951). Harnesses that close under an animal have some portion that must go over an animal's head. Animals balk at having a harness placed over their heads. It is very difficult to close a harness on the underside of an animal. Unless the animal stands on its hind legs or lies on its back the closure can't be seen.

Harnesses which fasten without going over the animals head have more than one closure as in U.S. Pat. No. 2,555,027 to Clayton (1948), U.S. Pat. No. 5,443,037 to Saleme (1995) and U.S. Pat. No. 4,559,906 to Smith (1985). Having more than one closure is time consuming.

Accordingly, several objects and advantages of my invention are:

(a) to provide a harness that does not go over the animals head;

(b) to provide a harness that closes on the animals back;

(c) to provide a harness that causes little discomfort to the animal;

(d) to provide a harness that can be applied and removed speedily;

(e) to provide a harness with one point of closure.

Further objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the ensuing description and drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the harness lying flat.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the harness in relation to being worn by an animal.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the harness illustrating additional adjusting means.

FIG. 4 is a close up of an alternative device for joining closing means.

Description--FIGS. 1,3,4 and 5

The harness is shown lying flat in FIG. 1. It is comprised of front strap 10, which is attached on one end to body of short mid-riff strap 16, and on the other end to body of long mid-riff strap 15. Short mid-riff strap 16 is attached on one end to closing means 14 and at the other end to size adjusting means 17. Long mid-riff strap 15 is attached on one end to closing means 14A, slips through loop 13, and at the other end is joined to short mid-riff strap 16 via size adjusting means 17. Side strap 12 is attached at one end to closing means 14 and at the other end to the side of front strap 10. Side strap 12A is attached at one end to closing means 14A and at the other end to the second side of front strap 10. Under strap 11 is attached at one end to center of front strap 10 and the other end forms loop 13. Element 18 (FIG. 4) for joining closing means is attached to closing means 14.

Operation FIG. 1,3,4,5

The manner of using the Domestic Animal Harness is to attach a leash clip to either closing means 14 or 14A. Lay the harness on a flat surface positioned as in FIG. 1. Have the animal face the harness from the perspective of FIG. 1. Place the animal's front feet one in each space formed on either side of under strap 11. With a closing means in each hand, lift both sides of the harness to the animal's back. Attach the clip of a leash to the remaining closing component 14 or 14A. Thus the leash clip secures both closing means. Element 18 for joining closing means can be used to replace the leash clip.

To remove the domestic animal harness release one closing means from the leash clip and the harness will fall from the animal.

The purpose of under strap 11 in FIG. 1 is to secure the front strap to the mid-riff strap. This prevents the animal from getting the chest strap over its head and escaping.

Thus the reader will see that this harness attaches and releases quickly. It has only one point of closure on an animal's back The under strap by joining the chest strap and mid-riff straps provides extra security against escape. It also can be seen that the long hair of an animal doesn't hamper this harness. Furthermore this harness has the additional advantages in that

it does not chafe the animal under it's front legs;

the animal isn't alarmed by a harness going over it's head;

it is lightweight and can be stored compactly;

it can be made in a variety of colors and patterns; and

it can incorporate various closing means.

Although the description above contains many specifications, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention but merely as providing illustrations of some of the presently preferred embodiments of this invention. For example, the chest strap could also have size adjusting means; the closing means could be of varying materials, shapes, sizes, and colors. The size adjusting means could be of varying materials, shapes, sizes, and colors. The straps could be of varying widths, lengths, colors, and materials.

Thus the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, rather than by the examples given.