Retractable leash for animals

Abstract

The invention relates to a retractable leash for animals, having a housing containing a spring-biased reel in which the remaining length of leash can be taken up and which is stoppable by means of an actuating mechanism. A retractable leash of this kind is improved according to the invention by means of a device for adjusting the maximum extension length of the leash as required, and by providing for the slack section of the leash to be taken up automatically by the reel when this maximum extension length is not being used. This ensures that the leash is always taut without restricting the animal's freedom of movement unnecessarily.

1 . A retractable leash for animals, having a housing ( 21   a,b ) containing a spring-biased reel ( 1   a,b ) in which the remaining length of the leash ( 11 ) can be taken up and which is stoppable by means of an actuating mechanism ( 6 ), wherein the maximum extension length of the leash ( 11 ) can be adjusted as required by means of a device, and the slack section of the leash can be taken up automatically by the reel ( 1   a,b ) when this maximum extension length is not being used.  
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein means are provided with which further retraction of the leash ( 11 ) is preventable once a certain retraction speed is reached.  
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein means are provided with which further retraction is preventable once the tension in the leash ( 11 ) falls short of a predefined value.  
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein means are provided with which further retraction of the leash ( 11 ) is preventable once a predefined retraction acceleration is reached.  
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein means ( 13 ,  14 ) are provided for indicating the amount by which the leash ( 11 ) can still extend before the set maximum length is reached.  
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein a means ( 30 ) is provided with which a sudden, jerk-like increase in the external pulling force in the leash ( 11 ) is preventable.