Winding device for an animal leash

Abstract

The invention relates to a winding device for an animal leash (1), in particular for a dog leash, comprising a housing (1) which houses the leash (3) and has a pull-out limiting device and a retaining ring (4) having an engagement opening (5), said retaining ring (4) having a pivot arm (4a) which is connected to the retaining ring (4) by means a pivot joint (6), closes the engagement opening (5) of the retaining ring (4) in its non-pivoted position and releases the engagement opening (5) of the retaining ring (4) in its pivoted position. In order to be able to use such a winding device in a simple manner to secure a dog in a motor vehicle in compliance with safety regulations, according to the invention, a lock tongue (11) is arranged at the pivot arm (4a) at its end facing away from the pivot joint (6) or at the retaining ring (4) at its end facing the pivot arm (4a), which tongue (11) can be inserted into a motor vehicle belt buckle when the retaining ring (4) is open.

Claims

1. A winding device for an animal leash (3,103), in particular for a dog leash, comprising a housing (1,101) which houses the leash (3,103) and has a pull-out limiting device and a retaining ring (4,104) having an engagement opening (5,105), said retaining ring (4,104) having a pivot arm (4a, 104a) which is connected to the retaining ring (4,104) by means a pivot joint (6,106), closes the engagement opening (5,105) of the retaining ring (4,104) in its non-pivoted position and releases the engagement opening (5,105) of the retaining ring (4,104) in its pivoted position, wherein a lock tongue (11,111) is arranged at the pivot arm (4a, 100a) at its end facing away from the pivot joint (6,106) or at the retaining ring (4,104) at its end facing the pivot arm (4a, 104a), which tongue (11,111) can be inserted into a motor vehicle belt buckle when the retaining ring (4,104) is open.

2. The winding device according to claim 1, wherein the lock tongue (11, 111) extends in the circumferential direction of the retaining ring (4, 104) and, when the retaining ring (4, 104) is closed, lies in a matching recess (12, 112) of the retaining ring (4, 104) or of the pivot arm(4a, 104a).

3. The winding device according to claim 1, wherein the pivot arm (4a, 104a) can be pivoted outwards with respect to the engagement opening (5, 105) of the retaining ring (4, 104).

4. The winding device according to claim 1, wherein the pivot arm (4a, 104a) is provided at its end remote from the pivot joint (6, 106) with a locking element (8, 108; 10, 110) with which the pivot arm (4a, 104a) can be fixed in the closed position.

5. The winding device according to claim 4, wherein the joint (6, 106) supporting the pivot arm (4a, 104a) is designed as a spring joint which elastically holds t the pivot arm (4a, 104a) in the open position.

6. The winding device according to claim 4, wherein the locking element (8, 108; 10, 110) at the end of the pivot arm (4a, 104a) is designed as a spring-loaded snap bolt (8, 108) which is provided with grip elements (10) or a push button (110) for opening by hand.

Description

(1) Two exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to the drawing.

(2) FIG. 1: Schematically a side view of a winding device according to the invention in a first version;

(3) FIG. 2: A top view of the locking area between the retaining ring and the pivot arm of the winding device shown in FIG. 1;

(4) FIG. 3: A side view of a winding device according to the invention in a second embodiment;

(5) FIG. 4: A perspective view of the winding device shown in FIG. 3 in the open position.

(6) In the drawing, the housing of a winding is marked with the reference mark 1. In the housing 1 there is a take-up reel 2, onto which a dog leash 3 is wound, which is led out of the housing 1 at the side. Furthermore, the housing has an extension limiter not shown in the drawing, with which it is possible to fix the extension length of the dog leash as desired by hand.

(7) On its side facing away from the exit opening of the dog leash 3, the housing 1 is provided with a retaining ring 4, which encloses an access opening 5. This retaining ring 4 has a pivot arm 4a, which is connected to the housing 1 via a pivot joint 6, which together with the pivot arm 4a encloses the access opening 5 and thus forms the retaining ring 4. Around this pivot joint 6, the pivot arm 4a can be pivoted in the direction of the arrow 7 to an open position in which the engagement opening 5 is open to one side and forms a kind of hook which can be used to secure the housing 1 at any fastening point and whose hook opening can be closed by the pivot arm 4a, so as to secure the housing at any fastening point.

(8) At its end opposite to the pivot joint 6, the pivot arm 4a is provided with a locking element in the form of a spring-loaded latch 8 which engages in an opposite snap-in opening 9 on the housing 1 and fixes the pivot arm 4a in the closed position shown in FIG. 1. The latch 8 is provided with laterally protruding handle elements 10 with which the lock can be released manually if necessary.

(9) In accordance with the invention, the pivot arm 4a is provided with a lock tongue 11 at its end facing away from the pivot joint 6, which can be inserted into a motor vehicle seat belt buckle when the retaining ring 4 is open. This lock tongue 11 has the shape customary in motor vehicle belt buckles and, when the retaining ring 4 is closed, lies in a suitable recess 12 on the outer circumference of the retaining ring 4 in such a way that it does not project beyond the outer circumference of the retaining ring 4.

(10) The pivot joint 6 is spring-loaded in the opening direction, so that after unlocking the snap latch 8 the pivot arm 4a jumps by itself into the open position, in which both the engagement opening 5 for fastening the housing 1 to any fastening points and the latch tongue 11 for securing the housing to a belt buckle in the motor vehicle are freely accessible. To close the retaining ring 4, the pivot arm 4a is pressed against the direction of the arrow 7 and against the spring force of the pivot joint 6 into the closed position shown in FIG. 1 until the latch 8 snaps into the snap-in opening 9, thus locking the retaining ring 4.

(11) Alternatively—to a certain extent in kinematic reversal—according to the teaching of invention, the lock tongue 11 can also be located on the section of the housing 1 facing the free end of the pivot arm 4a. In this case, of course, a recess in the pivot arm 4a is provided to accommodate the lock tongue 11.

(12) In deviation from the design example shown in FIG. 1 and without impairing the inventive function, the pivot arm 4a can also be arranged the other direction, so that the joint 6 is located where the latch 8 is located in the design example shown in FIG. 1.

(13) Such an example is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, where the housing of the winding device is marked with the reference mark 101. Inside the housing 101 there is a take-up reel, not shown in the drawing, on which a dog leash 103 is wound, which is led out of the housing 101 at the side.

(14) Opposite the exit opening of the dog leash 103 there is a retaining ring 104 on the housing 101, the engagement opening 105 of which is enclosed by the housing 101 and a pivot arm 104a which is hinged to the housing 101 by means of a pivot joint 106. Around this pivot joint 106, the pivot arm 104a can be pivoted in the direction of the arrow 107 to an open position in which the engagement opening 105 is open to the side and forms a kind of hook which can be used to attach the housing 101 to any desired fixing points.

(15) At its end remote from the pivot joint 106, the pivot arm 104a is provided with a locking element in the form of a spring-loaded snap bolt 108 which engages in an opposite snap-in opening 109 located on the housing 101 and fixes the pivot arm 104a in the closed position shown in FIG. 3. The snap bolt 108 is provided with a push button 110, with which the lock can also be released manually if necessary.

(16) According to the invention, in this example of the invention, the housing 101 is provided at its section facing the free end of the pivot arm 104a with a lock tongue 111, which can be inserted into a vehicle seat belt buckle when the retaining ring 104 is open (FIG. 4). This tongue 111 has the shape usual for car seat belt buckles and lies in a space-saving manner in a suitable recess 112 in the free end of the pivot arm 104a when the retaining ring 104 is closed (FIG. 3).

(17) In its function and handling, the winding device as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 corresponds fully to the winding device as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

LIST OF REFERENCES

(18) 1 housing; 101 housing 2 take up reel 3 dog leash; 103 dog leash 4 retaining ring; 104 retaining ring 4a pivot arm; 104a pivot arm 5 access opening; 105 access opening 6 pivot joint; 106 pivot joint. 7 arrow; 107 arrow 8 latch; 108 latch 9 snap-in opening; 109 snap-in opening 10 handle elements; 110 push button 11 lock tongue; 111 lock tongue 12 recess; 112 recess