IP Library Granted Patent US 10,376,020
Granted Patent B1
US 10,376,020 · App. 14/988,591 · Granted Aug 13, 2019

Redundant retention of a removable device

Inventors: Thomas F. Doyle (San Diego, CA); James C. Brailean (San Diego, CA)
Assignee: MARS, INCORPORATED
A44B11/25A01K27/001A01K27/008A44B11/28
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,376,020
App. No.
14/988,591
Granted
Aug 13, 2019
Kind
B1
Abstract

An apparatus for redundant retention of a device comprises a mountable device comprising a first side having a first fastening portion and a second fastening portion, at the first fastening portion, an elongated body having an inclined face parallel to and protruding from the first side and a flat face perpendicular to the first side, at the second fastening portion, a circular body with a smooth circular face, the circular body protruding from the first side, a removable device comprising a corresponding first side having a corresponding first fastening portion and a corresponding second fastening portion, at the corresponding first fastening portion, a first groove for receiving the elongated body and engaging a first retention mechanism, at the corresponding second fastening portion, a second groove for receiving the circular body and engaging a second retention mechanism.

Claims (20)

1. An apparatus comprising:

a first side comprising a first fastening portion and a second fastening portion;

at the first fastening portion, a first groove for receiving an elongated body and engaging a first retention mechanism, the first retention mechanism for attaching a removable device to a mountable device; and

at the second fastening portion, a second groove for receiving a circular body and engaging a second retention mechanism, the second retention mechanism attaching the removable device to the mountable device, independent of the first fastening portion.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , the first side further comprising a body groove between the first fastening portion and the second fastening portion.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , the body groove further comprising a decline face comprising a shallower end near the first fastening portion and a deeper end near the second fastening portion.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the body groove receives an inclined face of the mountable device.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the removable device may be removed from the mountable device only when both the first retention mechanism and the second retention mechanism are disengaged.

6. An apparatus comprising:

a mountable device comprising a first side having a first fastening portion and a second fastening portion;

at the first fastening portion, an elongated body having an inclined face parallel to and protruding from the first side and a flat face perpendicular to the first side;

at the second fastening portion, a circular body with a smooth circular face, the circular body protruding from the first side;

a removable device comprising a corresponding first side having a corresponding first fastening portion and a corresponding second fastening portion;

at the corresponding first fastening portion, a first groove for receiving the elongated body and engaging a first retention mechanism; and

at the corresponding second fastening portion, a second groove for receiving the circular body and engaging a second retention mechanism, independent of the first retention mechanism.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , the first fastening portion further comprising a tab, wherein the tab is flexible to allow the first fastening portion to move away from the mountable device.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 , the mountable device further comprising four hooks, each hook of the four hooks located at a corner of the mountable device and protruding from a second side of the mountable device, wherein the hooks allow the mountable device to be attached to a pet collar using a retention structure for receiving the four hooks.

9. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the second fastening portion is flexible to allow the second fastening portion to bend allowing the circular body to disengage from the removable device.

10. The apparatus of claim 6 , the corresponding first side further comprising a body groove between the corresponding first fastening portion and the corresponding second fastening portion, the body groove comprising a decline face comprising a shallower end near the first fastening portion and a deeper end near the second fastening portion.

11. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the removable device may be removed from the mountable device only when both the first retention mechanism and the second retention mechanism are disengaged.

Assignments (4)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 17, 2025
From: MARS, INCORPORATED
To: TRACTIVE X INC.
Reel/Frame 072912/0797 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 17, 2025
From: TRACTIVE X INC.
To: TRACTIVE INC.
Reel/Frame 072912/0833 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 14, 2017
From: WHISTLE LABS, INC.
To: MARS, INCORPORATED
Reel/Frame 043581/0338 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 29, 2016
From: DOYLE, THOMAS F.; BRAILEAN, JAMES C
To: WHISTLE LABS, INC.
Reel/Frame 037622/0717 →
Continuity (1)
Provisional Application 62099969 · Jan 5, 2015
Cited By (1)
US 1,091,020