Lcd equipped and glow-in-the-dark dog leash

Abstract

A retractable animal leash comprises an illuminated LCD display associated with the housing. The LCD is in addition to the handle, handle controls and leash port on the housing. The LCD is illuminated and covered by a damage-resistant coating to prevent scratches and damage from impacts and environmental factors. The LCD display is associated with an onboard computer with a pedometer function that detects the distance walked and rate, and transmits this data to the LCD screen.

1 . An electronic retractable leash for animals, comprising:
 a. a housing containing a spring-biased reel for taking up a remaining length of the leash; an actuating mechanism for arresting and releasing the spring-biased reel; a control mechanism for selectively adjusting a desired maximum extension of the leash; wherein after the desired maximum extension has been set, any slack in the leash up to the maximum extension can be taken up automatically by the reel, while still allowing unwinding of the leash to the desired maximum extension; and   b. an illuminated LCD display incorporated into the housing, wherein the LCD display features means for displaying data in real time;   c. a power source contained in the housing, and associated with the LCD display; and   d. a step counter or pedometer means for counting the number of steps traveled by a user and calculating the distance traveled, connected to the power source and LCD display.   
   
   
       2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein means are provided with which further retraction of the leash is prevented once a certain retraction speed is reached. 
   
   
       3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein means are provided with which retraction of the leash is prevented once tension in the leash falls below a predetermined level. 
   
   
       4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein further retraction of the leash is prevented once a predefined retraction acceleration is reached. 
   
   
       5 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein a means is provided with which a sudden, jerk-like increase in the external pulling force in the leash is prevented. 
   
   
       6 . An electronic leash for animals, comprising a housing containing a spring-biased reel for taking up a length of the leash once the length is extended from the housing, and which is comprises an actuating mechanism for stopping the retraction of the leash or the extension of the leash, and wherein an electronically powered LCD device displaying the current time, date, temperature, compass, and a pedometer capable of displaying distance walked, number of steps walked, and calories burned is disposed on one side of the housing. 
   
   
       7 . The device of  claim 6 , wherein means are provided with which further retraction of the leash is prevented once a certain retraction speed is reached. 
   
   
       8 . The device of  claim 6 , wherein means are provided with which retraction of the leash is prevented once tension in the leash falls below a predetermined level. 
   
   
       9 . The device of  claim 6 , wherein further retraction of the leash is prevented once a predefined retraction acceleration is reached. 
   
   
       10 . The device of  claim 6 , wherein a means is provided with which a sudden, jerk-like increase in the external pulling force in the leash is prevented.