Safety device for an animal

Claim 2

A safety device for an animal comprising: (a) animal control means adapted for association with the animal to control movement thereof, and (b) retro-reflective thread means incoporated directly into said animal control means for illumination thereof to render it visible at nighttime to an observer at a light source by reflecting a large portion of the light emitted from the light source directly back to said light source regardless of the angle of incidence of the emitted light onto said retro-reflective means, such that the pathway for the angle of reflection of the light is substantially the same as the pathway for the angle of incidence for returning the major portion of the light directly back to the light source.

Claim 3

The safety device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said retro-reflective threads means comprises elements which include a thread having glass reflective elements interwoven with said animal control means.

Claim 4

The safety device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said retro-reflective thread means comprises elements including a plurality of threads having glass reflective beads interwoven with said animal control means in substantially parallel paths.

Claim 5

The safety device as claimed in claim 3, wherein said plurality of retro-reflective threads extend in an undulating manner along said animal control means to reflect the light back to the light source directly, but in a non-uniform and undulating pattern, to form a substantially solid image projection.

Claim 6

The safety device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said animal control means has a top side and a bottom side, and said retro-reflective thread is interwoven to each of said sides.

Claim 7

The safety device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said animal control means is flexible webbing in the form of a leash.

Claim 8

The safety device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said animal control means is flexible webbing in the form of a collar to be worn by the animal.

Claim 9

The safety device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said animal control means is flexible webbing in the form of a combined leash and collar for the animal.

Claim 10

The safety device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said animal control means is a flexible webbing harness for the animal.

Claim 11

A safety device for an animal comprising: (a) animal control means adapted for association with the animal to control movement thereof, and (b) retro-reflective thread elements incorporated directly into said animal control means for illumination thereof to render it visible at nighttime to an observer at a light source, said elements, when illuminated by light from the light source, reflecting a substantial portion of the incident light directly back to the light source, the pathway of the reflected light being substantially the same as the pathway for the incident light.

Claim 12

A safety device for an animal comprising: (a) animal control means adapted for association with the animal to control movement thereof, and (b) retro-reflective thread elements incorporated directly into said animal control means for illumination thereof to render it visible at nighttime to an observer at a light source, said elements, when illuminated by light from the light source, reflecting a substantial portion of the incident light directly back to the light source, the pathway of the reflected light being substantially the same as the pathway for the incident light.

Claim 13

A safety device for an animal, comprising: a flexible animal control device formed of a flexible webbing adapted for association with the animal to control movement thereof; and a retro-reflective thread incorporated directly with said flexible webbing so that said retro-reflective thread and said flexible webbing form a composite structure; said composite structure including retro-reflective elements forming part of said retro-reflective thread so that illumination of said composite structure renders it visible at night time to an observer at a light source by directly reflecting a large portion of the light emitted from the light source regardless of the angle of incidence of the emitted light onto said retro-reflective thread, such that the pathway for the angle of incidence from the light source and the angle of reflection for returning the major portion of the light directly back to the light source coincide.

Claim 14

A safety device for an animal, comprising: a flexible animal control device formed of a flexible webbing adapted for association with the animal to control movement thereof; and a retro-reflective thread incorporated directly with said flexible webbing so that said retro-reflective thread and said flexible webbing form a composite structure; said composite structure including retro-reflective elements forming part of said retro-reflective thread so that illumination of said composite structure renders it visible at night time to an observer at a light source by directly reflecting a large portion of the light emitted from the light source regardless of the angle of incidence of the emitted light onto said retro-reflective thread, such that the pathway for the angle of incidence from the light source and the angle of reflection for returning the major portion of the light directly back to the light source coincide.

Claim 15

The safety device of claim 11, wherein said retro-reflective thread is on one face of said webbing.

Claim 16

The safety device of claim 11, wherein said retro-reflective thread is on two opposite faces of said webbing.

Claim 17

The safety device of claim 11, wherein said retro-reflective thread is interwoven with said webbing.

Claim 18

The safety device of claim 11, including a plurality of said retro-reflective threads.

Claim 19

The safety device of claim 15, wherein said plurality of retro-reflective threads are interwoven with said webbing.

Claim 20

The safety device of claim 15, wherein said plurality of retro-reflective threads is on one face of said webbing.

Claim 21

The safety device of claim 15, wherein said plurality of retro-reflective threads is on two opposite faces of said webbing.

Claim 22

The safety device of claim 16, wherein said plurality of retro-reflective threads is interwoven with said webbing in an undulating manner and is on two opposite faces of said webbing.

Claim 23

The safety device as claimed in claim 10, wherein said animal control means includes a flexible webbing and said retro-reflective elements is a retro-reflective thread interwoven with said webbing.